On the fourth day before Christmas...

Well, it's almost here--the big day! I'm really close to being ready, closer than I've ever been (though that's not saying much for a girl who is usually doing all of her shopping on Christmas Eve)! Today poor Nic has been sick. He's got a cold or flu or something. All I know is that he sounds like Darth Vader and looks a little like Yoda. =) Hopefully a little soup and OJ will get him back on his feet soon, and, even more hopefully, none of the rest of us will get the bug too!
I've noticed in other posts that I talk a lot about starting traditions, so I've decided that I should include some of my favorite Christmas traditions too.
First, here is a recap of some of the new traditions that I would like to keep going:
1. Making treats with my sister.
2. Going to the Messiah. (We went this year, and even Nic was inspired!)
3. Getting a new ornament every year for Sam that will hold a special memory for him.
4. Going to Temple Square to see the lights. I wouldn't say this is a new tradition, but we don't always make it. Christmas just isn't the same on the years.
5. Going to the Christmas sing-along.
6. I think I want to do something with Sam some day (and myself and Nic) where we take one of our gifts from Christmas and give it to someone in need. Or maybe after we make our Christmas list for Santa, Santa gets to choose one of the items that will go to someone in need. I'm still thinking on this one on how to make it work well to help Sam learn about giving.

Now, for some of my favorite traditions:
Every Christmas Eve we go to my side of the family's Christmas party. Afterward, we go to my parent's house and spend the night. One of our traditions is to pile into one car and drive around to look at Christmas lights. Nic mentioned this tradition the other night as one of his favorite memories when we were dating because it made him really feel like a part of the family (you couldn't feel otherwise when you have someones elbow in your nose and their rump crushing your leg to sleep!). On the outskirts of town, this family sets up hundreds of luminarias (candles in paper bags) and a nativity scene. It is awesome to drive through it!
Last year, none of us were really feeling like going. We were being lazy, and Nanny Man (our usual motivator in all things good) was on her mission. Well, just when we were about to cave in and not go to see the lights, Nic said, "Manda would have us go if she were here. Let's do it for the Man!" And we went. And we had a good time.
Another favorite memory that we love to bring up every year and laugh about was when Nic and I were either first married or about to get married. We were out looking at the lights, and my mom was driving the van. Well, as sometimes happens in a small, redneck town, someone had taken the reindeer at one of the houses and put them in inappropriate positions. Suddenly, my mom (who is apparently blind and shouldn't be driving) turns the car so the headlights are shining right on the naughty reindeer for all to see and shouts out, "Look at the cowboy! How cute!" We were all laughing too hard to really say anything. Finally, Nic was able to pull himself together enough to say, "Mom, you should go stand by the cowboy and we'll get your picture!" Unfortunately, she had figured things out by then and opted out of the picture!
Christmas Eve we all spend the night and all the kids and dogs squish into the same room. I remember one year Jason was all upset to wake up and find himself spooning with Gimli! We even did this last year with a newborn, Nic and Me, Jason, Tinkerbelle, Gimli, and Gus--all in the same room. We'll be happy to have Nanny Manda home this year and Gimli will be missed.
Santa always brings everyone new jammies, so we unwrap our jammies, change, and then do a modeling show.
Christmas morning we go sing to grandpa and grandma to wake them up and then open our presents. And then even though we're already tuckered out, the day has just begun and we head off to our other grandma and grandpa for more Christmas celebrations. Grandma J has continuous food for us all day, and we usually open presents and then watch/snooze through whatever new movies anyone has got for Christmas.
Usually the boys get some toy or other (like marshmallow guns, remote control cars, Nerf guns, etc.) that we have to play with. I remember one year, we had a major marshmallow war and grandma was still finding marshmallows in February!
We have so much fun each year. I'm excited to see how Sam does with everything now that he's a little older than a few weeks!