New Traditions

This year, my wife and I have decided to introduce a couple of new traditions to our Christmas.  One of them we have been kicking around for a couple of years now.  The other started spontaneously yesterday.

Over the past couple of years, we have been thinking about doing our gift giving on New Year's Day instead of Christmas Day.  We would still open the gifts we receive from others (her Mom, my Dad and Brother) on Christmas morning but put off opening gifts from each other.  That way we could hit the sales the week between Christmas and New Years, especially for any big ticket items that we wanted for the house.

The second new tradition I started yesterday after talking with my Dad the night before.  We had been discussing the 12 days of Christmas (which started yesterday).  So I decided that our Christmas Tree should be lit all day for the twelve days.

When I was a kid, Christmas lights went on at dusk (around supper time) and were turned off at bedtime.  The exception, in our house, was the tree was lit all day Christmas Day and possibly New Year's Day as well, a tradition that I have continued through to this day.  However, I am one of the few who do, our neighbourhood is full of Christmas lights that run all night every night.