Making memories

As a child, I remember lying on the living room floor in my new pajamas playing with my mom’s nativity set while the colored lights twinkled on the Christmas tree. Not a care in the world.I gave no thought to the hustle and bustle of loading the car and going from one grandparents’ house to another during Christmas. I’m sure that it was a little hectic for my parents, but as a child I only remember the thrill of the adventure and the excitement of Christmas in the air.

With the holidays just around the corner, I have been thinking about the kind of memories we’re making for our children. Are they enjoying the carefree days of childhood like they should? Will they look back and fondly remember some of the traditions that we are passing on? Will we survive loading and unloading three kids in and out of the car to visit all three sets of grandparents, not to mention great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins?

This is the first Christmas for the twins to be “mobile,” and yes, I know that it’s going to be hard. They will be unwrapping gifts, taking the ornaments off the tree and will be off their regular schedule as we make the rounds to visit everyone. But in my opinion, we are fortunate to have so many places to go and so many people who love us.

While the twins are still too young to remember Christmas this year, my 4-year-old isn’t. In fact, she doesn’t forget much of anything these days. Besides, the fun of traditions is watching your child’s excitement while remembering your own experiences from childhood.

Last Christmas, I was in the kitchen, and I kept hearing my daughter talking to someone in the next room. I finally peeked to see the object of all her cooing and talking. She was sitting on the floor moving around the figurines from my nativity set as if it were a doll house. She was “holding the baby,” and apparently, one of the Wise Men and the shepherd were having a talk with “Baby Jesus’ mommy.”

I can’t count how many times I did the same thing as a child. Poor “Baby Jesus” didn’t make it through last holiday season. She “held” him a little too hard, and he slipped and hit the floor. Our new tradition this year will be a plastic nativity set. It should be much more durable with three sets of hands grabbing for it.

I have gotten a new pair of pajamas for every Christmas of my life. It’s a tradition that my grandmother started when my mother was a child. My mother has continued the tradition, and every year I still look forward to getting my new pair of pajamas.

Since this is usually my favorite gift each year, how could I not continue the tradition with my own children? I love to see my kiddos in their Christmas pajamas, and this year will be even better with an excited 4-year-old and two 1-year-olds toddling around.

Which brings us to the Christmas tree. I remember the first Christmas that my oldest daughter could walk. It was only four years ago. Her little hands were busy “helping” Mommy take the ornaments off the tree. We spent a lot of time re-hanging ornaments on the tree higher and higher. Eventually, most of the ornaments ended up back in the box, and we had a tree with only lights. I’m sure this year will be the same since we have double the number of little hands “helping” Mommy. Not to mention, Big Sister always has to “teach” them. I have a feeling that this will be a Christmas we’ll talk about for years to come.

With children, every day is a memory in the making. They grow up so fast that you have to embrace every holiday, every moment for the special gift that it is.

A lot of people look to the holidays with dread. Dreading the shopping, the baking, the multiple Christmas gatherings, complaining that there’s just not enough time to do everything. Not me. I am looking forward to an ornament-less Christmas tree, a plastic nativity set, the hustle and bustle of visiting our many loved ones and our traditional new pajamas. Most of all, I am looking forward to making new memories with my family.