Christmas Traditions

[Margies3]

Oh, we have lots of Christmas traditions:

1) We have the Hosler family gathering early in the month. That's my mom's siblings and all my cousins, etc. from that side of the family. That's a big potluck. Santa comes and hands out to the kids and we adults play a game for gifts. Usually 70-90 people at this one.

2) We have Christmas Eve with my side of the family (my siblings, nieces, nephews and my mom). Again a potluck. The kids exchange names with each other at Thanksgiving. And then Mom gets for the grandkids. We've finally convinced her not to buy for the adults. Hooray! After the family gathering, we all go to church together for the Christmas Eve service.

3) On Christmas Day whoever of Walt's family who happens to be in the area come to our house. We open gifts together and I fix a nice Christmas dinner. This year my boys have asked for steaks, so that's what we're having. Most of the time, it's ham.

4) We always take time during the season to read "Christmas at the Little Zoo" several times. My grandpa bought that book for me when I was 3 years old and we've read it every Christmas since then.

5) Puppy Chow is required food for Christmas Eve. If I didn't bring that, my nieces and nephews would boycott Christmas! (by the way, I make it without peanut butter)

There are other small traditions, but these are probably the most major.