Christmas When the Kids were Little
When me and Tressa had kids that changed our Christmas routine. Before kids we would have Christmas either at her dad‘s/uncles or grandma‘s on Christmas Eve. We would eat, open some gifts and then go back to our house I think. Then we met with her mom and at another time with my sister. I don’t really remember and it was only for two years because Madyson was born in 1998. Once she was born, the Christmas routine began to change. Basically we would go to her dad‘s and have Christmas. Then go home to go to bed and have Santa. And Christmas Day we would go to her mom‘s on Lily Street or maybe that was Christmas Eve after her dad. Then either on the 25th or 26th we would meet with my sister. Her mom wasn’t married long so soon after her divorce we would do Christmas pretty much the same way for the next 18 to 20 years. Basically us and Greg would go to her dad‘s on Christmas Eve fairly early. It would be about four in the afternoon. We would eat a traditional meal with turkey and dressing and all the fixings. Tres’s dad loves turkey and dressing. He claims he could eat it every meal. There would be green beans, mac & cheese, we would bring green bean casserole. There would be rolls and pickles and olives and stuff like that. There was also Tressa’s grandma MiMi Billy she made potato salad and her dad loves it. So that was there as well. So we would eat that and then everyone would go in the living room and Brad and Evelyn will bring presents out for the kids. They would usually all get a bag with stuff in it. When the kids got older, they would make jokes about whoever opened the first package. Everyone would know what they got. Everyone pretty much got all the same thing in each of their bags. The adults like me and Tressa would get a card with money and some frozen steaks from Perry’s Meat Market. We wouldn’t stay that long. Then we would go back to our house and meet Tres‘s mom there. So basically when Mady and Brad were born, we would do the Brad and Evelyn deal then to our house. When we got to our house, Tres‘s mom would have appetizer and chips and stuff out. We would eat and talk about Christmas at Dada & Ebby‘s. Her grandma on her moms side would be there also. My kids called her GG. We would make cookies and get Santa‘s milk and cookies ready. Greg & Amanda would come for a while too. Then when Ian and Kiera and Coy were born, we would give them some cookies. Everyone would go home after a while. We would get the kids ready for bed and tell them to get ready for Santa by going to sleep. Once they were asleep, we would take turns putting the toys out for the kids. I would watch the stairs and Tressa would put some stuff out, then I would put some stuff out while she watch the stairs it worked out pretty good. Over the years I don’t remember a time when the kids came down in the middle of the night. Usually we have stockings filled, and also some separate toys laid out. Some Christmases were a little more special. Like when they got bikes or the basketball goal. We would have a note from Santa saying to go look in the garage. Once the kids and us would go through the stockings, we would pass the presents out from each other. Each person would go from the youngest to the oldest and open one present a piece. We would start with either me or Brad and go through each of us with each present. Then I would cook breakfast. It would be something like eggs, sausage, and bacon and some toast or pancakes. Tres would pick up all the trash and the only thing in the living room would be our gifts. The kids would play with their gifts and we would watch Christmas movies. Later that day, my sister would usually come over with her kids and Tressa‘s mom would come over. We would eat something and then open our gifts from each other. Tres’s brother and family would come over either another day or my sister would come on another day and Greg would come that day. After Tressa’s mom bought the house on Louisiana sometimes we would go to her house and have Christmas. I remember I would sit on the couch and Brad would sit in the recliner next to me because the kids were older and they kind of sat where they wanted, but we would still open presents one at a time and everybody would describe what they got. We would have appetizers and things like that at her house as well but the night before she would still be at our house after we left Dada & Ebby‘s. Ultimately we had a plan and it helped give our kids great memories for Christmas. We wanted to establish the same routine each year. We wanted to make sure me and Tressa woke up with our kids, provided stability and made great memories that Mady and Brad would relish and enjoy for all their years. Personally coming from a one parent household I wanted it to be our immediate family on Christmas Day spending time with each other. I really think that was special. It was special to me and I hope it was special to Tres and the kids.
Y’all be safe out there.
