Christmas Traditions

I have been thinking a lot about some traditions that have been going on in my family for years. I wanted to write about this a lot sooner, but you know me and blogging don't coexist well.

1. My dad and I do a yearly Christmas shopping extravaganza. At least once, Dad meets me in Murfreesboro and we either shop there or drive to Cool Springs. This year we stayed in Murfreesboro. We go to whichever stores or malls he wants to go to. I am supposed to help, and I do, but I also spend a lot of time pointing at things and saying, "OOOO I like that" or "That would be perfect in my apartment, you know, above my tv." Anyhow, that was a really long sentence. After we do some shopping, Dad always takes me out to dinner. We usually choose a really nice place. It's kind of like a Daddy/daughter date. We chose Carrabas this year. I wanted Bonefish, but Dad has an aversion to fish since his fish and chips episode...not a fair comparison but it got him out of dinner there. So we ate too much Italian food and then went to get coffee and hot chocolate at JoZoara's. We didn't do too much shopping, but had a nice time. He brought me home, and we hung out with Zach for a bit. It's a yearly tradition that I hope never ends. I ended up shopping with him again the week of Christmas. He's so cute. He needed to get some stocking stuffers at Walgreens. Instead of just saying that though, he asked, "Hey, you want one of those Starbucks canned cappuccino things?" I love him, and Christmas is the one time of the year I get to see my true, happy dad. He really is Father Christmas.

2. Christmas Tree: This tradition got skipped this year. We had a tree, but it wasn't the way it was supposed to be. Usually, Dad, Luke and I will go to pick out a live tree. Dad complains and then sets it up in the living room. We usually have some homemade Christmas candy out and everyone comes up. We play some Christmas music and dim all the lights. One at a time we start putting on the ornaments. We always start with out baby ornaments, and then add from there. Dad always puts on the newest ornament and the star. My dad is rather particular about the placement of ornaments, so he usually yells at one or more of us for not placing them appropriately. We get mad and then just watch Dad decorate. Sounds boring, but it really is a fond memory because we can tease my dad about it after. I was sad that this tradition didn't happen. I feel like my Christmas spirit was sort of not there this year because of it.

3. Christmas Morning: Ok, so lastly I will write about the epic Solimine Christmas. Every Christmas morning we wake up around 7. Used to be 6 when I was little, but now it's 7 sometimes 8. My parents always take their sweet time moving around. We can't open gifts till everyone is up and breakfast is ready. Mom makes cinnamon rolls every year. So once those are done and served we can open gifts. The thing with my family is we open one gift at a time from youngest to oldest. There are now 8 of us with my nephews. Christmas took 3 hours this year. We open our stockings first, one gift at a time. Then Dad passes out the gifts from the tree, again, opening one by one. I love every minute of it.

4. Oops forgot something: This isn't a tradition anymore, but it was always important to me. We used to write letters to Santa.  We would leave out some chocolate chip cookies, milk, and carrots for the reindeer of course. On Christmas morning ,we would find some crumbs and carrots that had been nibbled on. My dad, Santa, would always write us back. I thought it was odd that his writing was so familiar, but I loved hearing from Santa. He always told me that I was a beautiful young lady and to keep Christ first. He constantly talked me about having faith. My dad was sure to let me know that I was special. It makes me sad that I don't hear that as often anymore from him, but I will forever cherish those letters.

Presents before departure

I gave Zach some Sourpatch Kids on Day 15. That's his favorite candy. On the 16th, I left him this note...

We then took Ava to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. After the movie, she took some photos of us in our ugly Christmas garb---to be posted later.

On Day 17, we somehow find time to bake homemade sugar cookies. I made all the dough and then we rolled it all out. After the sweet smell of butter and sugar infiltrated my apartment, we decorated the little cookies.

So they weren't the prettiest things.

On Day 18 I found some Hummus to go packs at World Market. I stuck it in my running shoe and made Zach search for it with the clue of "being on the go"

Day 19: I use to bring Zach dinner every Sunday night at work before I had to work every Sunday. Well, this particular Sunday I was able to have the night off. I didn't really make any dinner, but I did stop in and bring him veggie sushi. It was the perfect light dinner. Meanwhile, Zach spent the evening fixing my computer, so it wasn't really a great gift. 

Lastly, here is the best snack ever. On day 20, Zach left to go home. I sent this little snack to the airport with him so he would have something to munch on.

Days 21-25 will be celebrated on the 30th and 31st of this month. He comes home on the 30th, so be on the lookout for the conclusion of the 25 days of Christmas!

A Year and a Half on Day Fourteen

Zach and I spent our one and a half year anniversary doing some ridiculously holiday things. We had planned on doing this anyway, but we shopped at Green Hills trying on way too many things that we could never ever afford. We ate at cheesecake factory and then headed to the Opryland Hotel to look at the lights. We met Heather and Bryan and the boys there and ate dessert together...cheesecake of course. I am so blessed to have Zach in my life. He is so amazing, and I loved being with him these 18 months. Here's to another 18.

Days 11, 12, and 13

I didn't do as much on these days. We were both extremely busy. I was with my family all day Saturday shopping for new clothes for them. Sunday we both had to work all day. By Monday night we were super tired.

For the 11th: I left a note that read, "you've enjoyed some of your favorite things today; Reubens, Christmas music, shopping. Check in the snack cabinet for yet another." That is where he came upon his favorite candy bar, CHUNKY. It's peanuts, raisins, chocolate, and caramel. 

 This is just a card with mushy stuff inside. No one wants to hear all that. It was a cute card though. Snowman shaped.

 And lastly, I let him choose a relaxing night of hot chocolate and tv. He chose to watch The Grinch, but it wouldn't download. So we watched Desperate Housewives. Lol. But we have continued to watch The Grinch the last three nights. On top of our screaming stomachs and lack of sleep, we should be able to finish it tonight, (The 16th)

Day 10 TSO

On this night, on this night, on this very Christmas Night...I presented Zach with tickets to the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert. The concert was the 12th, but I went ahead and gave him notice. We ended up double dating with some of our good friends. Here are some pics of the night I gave him the tickets and the night of the show. It happened to be one of the first big snows of the season which I loved.

Days 8&9

So I am really bad at this whole thing. I thought I had already posted days 4-7 but apparently I didn't. But that is done now and on to 8&9.

Day 8:

He always talks about wanting a mustache, but never grows one. He's very self conscious of facial hair, when really, I love it. Maybe not a mustache like this, but I mean he kinda rocks it. Don't ya think?

Day 9:
He needs to get rid of some socks for sure, but I thought these would be nice enough to add to his collection.

Days 4-7...and this was supposed to make me blog daily.

So the advent thing is for Zach, but I thought it would also help me blog. It hasn't. I mean it sort of has. But who cares. Here are the last few days of gifts.

Day 4--

He thought he was getting socks, but NO, I bought him undershirts. Something he didn't realize he needed. He was sporting one today though!

Day 5:

I made Zach read the story of the Christmas pickle, find the Christmas pickle, and then he received his little dancing man. He found that at Party City a while back and mentioned it being the coolest little thing. So I went back and got it for him.

Day 6:

 Zach has tons of penguin stuff, and he always says not to buy him any more of it. Yet, we went to Target and he swooned over this card. It plays a video of penguins singing and building a snowman. It is rather cute...so of course I bought it for him.


Day 7

 I got Zach an IronMan Coloring Book. He loves IronMan, and he works every Sunday evening for like 10 hours. So I thought he might want something to take up some of that time.