When I was pregnant with Regus 1 in 2005, I was super excited to start traditions for my own little family. With the addition of Regus 2 in 2007, it seemed like the traditions and memories would just ooze out of us, as we pranced and sang Christmas carols through the night.
Little did I know how much work it was to take care of two little guys and get through the holidays, while trying to get ourselves out of debt. As a result, my funds for participating in some exciting, memory-making events were next to nothing. Because, for all I knew, it took serious planning and money to make traditions come alive.
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| Enjoying a good giggle with my boys. |
Then, on a really cool day in October, the boys showed me that we had already started some great family traditions and memories.
As I mentioned, over the past three years we've had to get creative on our budget to work through debt. We didn't have a lot of fancy snack foods (As it turns out, we've been healthier by making more food from stratch... another Almost On Purpose decision), so a big treat for the boys was to setup a cold-day picnic in the living room. We don't eat in the living room, so I've now realized that this was really special to them. I'd pop some popcorn on the stove and fill mugs of hot cocoa. Then, we'd snuggle on our blanket and enjoy our snack. To me, it was just snack time. It was an odd combination, but it worked.
As I mentioned, over the past three years we've had to get creative on our budget to work through debt. We didn't have a lot of fancy snack foods (As it turns out, we've been healthier by making more food from stratch... another Almost On Purpose decision), so a big treat for the boys was to setup a cold-day picnic in the living room. We don't eat in the living room, so I've now realized that this was really special to them. I'd pop some popcorn on the stove and fill mugs of hot cocoa. Then, we'd snuggle on our blanket and enjoy our snack. To me, it was just snack time. It was an odd combination, but it worked.
Going back to October... we came inside from playing in the cool weather, and the boys asked for a snack. You guessed it: Hot cocoa and popcorn.
Really?? I thought. We have so many other things now that go together better than popcorn and hot cocoa.
At that moment, I realized that we had created a tradition. What initially seemed like a best-ditch effort to give them a snack was really a magical moment for them. So much so, that they want to recreate this moment every time we have a cool day.
Really?? I thought. We have so many other things now that go together better than popcorn and hot cocoa.
At that moment, I realized that we had created a tradition. What initially seemed like a best-ditch effort to give them a snack was really a magical moment for them. So much so, that they want to recreate this moment every time we have a cool day.
My children are teaching me that memories are not about how much money you have or spend. It is about those everyday moments of giggling, tickling, snuggling, teaching, learning, and sharing.
Do you have any unexpected family traditions?
What was your first memory of Christmas traditions?
ReplyDeleteThat's so awesome and SO sweet!
ReplyDeleteI love this. Jude is very good about remembering how we did things the 1st time. Now every time we go to grandma and boogie's house and have strawberries for a snack he has to eat them sitting on the fireplace hearth because that is where he had them the 1st time.
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