Saturday, December 19, 2009

'Tis the Season.

Staff Party . . . ouch!

Weather . . . ouch!

Work Hours . . . ouch!

Bank Account . . . ouch!


We've never been so busy and so tired in all our lives . . . maybe. The Holiday season is ripe with events, moves, parties, plans, meetings, greetings, snow and cold. By the time Saturday arrived, we were out of gas. On a night where energy and ambition would've been useful, we were almost at wits end by the time I finished work and got home. We weren't able to join any of our online (and now offline!) friends in the plethora of endeavours they were up to on Saturday. We opted for one of the quietest dinners of our lives and the earliest bedtime seen by anybody in their twenties on a weekend in recent history.

Trips to the post office are becoming adventures. Thank you so much to all the members of both our families who have taken the time to send us gifts. I hate to brag but, I think we have more gifts under our tree than the tree has branches! WE LOVE IT. Oh, and while we're on the topic of family gifts, Julia . . . why are the cats trying to eat the gift you got them?! Sending gifts have been just as exciting as getting them . . . we hope that everyone likes their gifts this year. It's been really important for us to share our experiences up here the best we can so, Christmas was a great platform to keep that tradition bright.

This Holiday is going to be really different for the both of us. Homesickness keeps bouncing back and forth between us. Days where we both work are easier but, then we just end up missing each other so, really, we're living a life of constantly missing people these days.

When talking about our families and what we miss over the holidays, we've discovered that we both have very different family traditions when it comes to Christmas. It made us wonder what everyones qwirky or random family traditions are. So, why not open it up for everyone to talk about.

What is your favourite Christmas tradition?

8 comments:

Morena said...

I love this. My favorite is the fact that we usually have 3 christmases... immediate family gifts on Christmas eve, Santa and Dad's side of the family christmas day and mom's side on boxing day. It extends the joy of gift giving/getting for days. And the big family dinner of course!

Anonymous said...

Our late evening Christmas Eve walk is a long tradition - originally started to burn the kids out so they would sleep (but they still didn't) A chance to walk the quiet streets and take in the Christmas lights and trees in the windows on the way.

Also, 'stuffed' french toast breakfast, easy 1-dish breakie for me to make so I am not stuck cooking and cleaning. Cubed bread, cubed philly cheese tossed together and several beaten eggs poured over top, bake and serve with syrup. Yum!

Happy Holidays!

Unknown said...

The day before Christmas, my dad always went and got about $25 in nickles. Then on Christmas morning, we opened gifts and went to church, then had dinner at noon. Once everything was cleaned up, my three siblings, myself, and my parents would split up the nickles and have a huge, competitive poker game. The winner got the nickles, which Dad would trade us for cash.

I think it started as a way to keep 4 kids out of Mom's hair while she tidied from the dinner, but became a tradition. Even as we all became adults, we still played with nickles. It the thing I miss the most when I'm away from home.

Merry Christmas!!

Cambridge Bay Bound Peoples said...

We like to watch Scrooged with Bill Murray and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase while having chinese take out for dinner on X-Mas eve, then a drive to check out the X-mas lights. On Christmas morning while opening presents we sip on some champagne and orange juice, then back to bed for a few hours then pancakes for brunch.

Jordan~Stephanie said...

What great comments!

This was what we were hoping to read. Thank you everyone.

I love the Stuffed French toast idea ... so unique.

Here at ours, we've adopted a few Christmas traditions from both our families. Steph and I do a "Christmas Eve Picnic" and open gifts at Midnight. This started last year and I really liked it. Bree Cheese is a must at the picnic.

My parents always had a Chicken Ornament on the tree growing up. A few years ago the origin of this random tradition was explained to me and I've carried it through no matter where I was.

Thank you all so much for commenting again.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Jordan~Stephanie said...

OOPS . . .

And of course, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is a staple of Christmas tradition here, and should be world wide. It is the greatest Christmas Movie of all time . . .

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kerry & Brenda, Our North West Adventure said...

Hello Jordan & Stephanie

I have been following your comments from Iqaluit. My wife and I are moving to Iqaluit in April to work at North Mart. Any info would be welcome, and I am a musician too (drummer)from the Ottawa Valley. Happy New Year and all the best in 2010... please contact us at: kerrymckerracher@hotmail.com
thanks... Kerry & Brenda