We have zero Christmas traditions. How about you?

I truly love Christmas. I have put minimal effort in decorating my house this year, but that is more because I am tired and lack motivation. If Mike hadn't untangled the lights for me this year, I am sure our Christmas tree would still be sitting bare and in the corner all tied up with twine. My love for this season is not accurately portrayed through my sparse decorations. 

Tonight Mike and I were talking about traditions - specifically that we don't have any. Hard to believe that we have been married for this long and don't have traditions. I take that back - actually we have a tradition with my side of the family where we spend Christmas Eve with my mom (on her birthday) and then have Pizza Hut for dinner. And I always bake her a birthday cake. It is one of the things I look most forward to at Christmas.

Mike found a list of neat traditions that we could adopt, so we are contemplating that. I know one thing we want to emphasize is that even though Mike will work mostly every Christmas for the unforeseeable future, that it is not a huge deal for our kids. Because it is just a day, and you can really celebrate Christmas whenever. That is really important to us.

We have been talking a little bit about how many presents to get our kids. Sadly Grayson didn't get any gifts from us last year, but he was a month old. And this year isn't looking too good either, though I know he will be spoiled by his aunts, uncles and grandparents. I have done a fair amount of reading about only getting your kids something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read - or just as many gifts as the wise men brought Jesus. 

But I don't know. I had the best Christmases as a kid - I always got exactly what I wanted - never what I really needed. Or what I never thought I needed anyway, but my parents knew best. There is a video of me as a child on Christmas morning, saying excitedly, "This is just what I always wanted!" with the added gesture of a hand chop to really emphasize how thankful I was! :)

I want that for our kids. Do you have any neat Christmas traditions?

This is my favorite Christmas song from my childhood. I lived in New Jersey for a few years, and my dad was a big Springsteen fan (despite his left leaning political stances). I believe we actually got a copy of this song on a 45 from the local grocery store one year. I love how he talks about the wind whipping along the boardwalk. 

And this is my very favorite Christmas song of all time. The first time I heard it, I got chills. Very powerful. :) I Celebrate the Day - Relient K.