Holiday Traditions

Day two of the blog party at MomDot and today we will be talking about holiday traditions! I love traditions. The house I grew up in was too controlled by my unhealthy father for us to have traditions worth passing down. So, ever since we got married my hubby and I have enjoyed creating our own traditions for our boys.

Thanksgiving we typically spend with my mom, stepdad and little sister. My uncle, his wife and my maternal grandmother venture down from Pittsburgh some years but regardless of who is present- we eat, watch football and just have a good time in general. **Note- this year we are venturing away from tradition -a dangerous thing, I know :-)- to appease my paternal grandmother and my kids are not happy campers. Pray for me**

Christmas Eve we spend with my mom and stepdad. They always go way overboard (as does almost everyone else in our family) for our kids. We have a pot of chili and cornbread and all is good!
Christmas Day, my husband's family comes over for breakfast and opening presents. This is quite a crowd that I play Martha Stewart for- my MIL and her flavor of the month, my BIL/SIL, my other BIL and whatever other random relative or weirdo my MIL feels like bringing along. I usually make breakfast casseroles, homemade cinnamon buns, fruit salad, etc. etc.
Well, this year they are still invited but I don't have the energy to prepare a breakfast buffet fit to rival Shoney's so my hubby is going to pick up an assortment of pastries from one of our favorite bakeries and that well have to suffice. (I think that was the longest sentence I've ever written)
Then, after breakfast and the clean-up we head to my paternal grandparents or they head to our house. (It is a two hour trip) Then we stay there for a few days, relax, go see a movie, eat Pueblo Jo soup (a family recipe and very yummy).

As far as traditions just for our family- hubby and I enjoy staying up late, drinking alcoholic beverage of our choice ~which I won't be able to do this year because I am on blood thinners :( ~and attempting to assemble the toys for our kiddos. The boys, up until two years ago when their Santa bubble was burst, would leave Little Debbie snack cakes and chocolate milk along with a note for Santa before they head up to bed. Another tradition, is that we all get to open one present on Christmas Eve and it is always the matching pajamas I bought everyone so that we look cute on Christmas morning.
And, lucky me, my birthday is exactly two weeks after Christmas, and my only tradition with that is that I expect presents and lots of them :-)

What are your family traditions? Share them with us and be sure to thank today's sponsors of this fun blog party at LaPlates, Let's Go Strolling and Natity's Designs.