Today is October the 1st and I am feeling sentimental. If you are a new friend, follower, or reader than you are wondering why. You see October the 1st is a significant day in my family. Today is the day we play Christmas music and start preparing for Christmas. This tradition goes back two generations.
My dad’s family was poor. There were a lot of children, a little money, and a mom with a big heart. She, this mom, who was my grandmother, though she passed away before I was born, would start preparing for Christmas on October the 1st. thereby giving herself 2 full months to prepare. Now, because Christmas is really not just a day but a season she would play Christmas music to get her kids excited and happy. This would continue on through Christmas.
Fast forward 30ish years and my dad continued this tradition with his kids, me and my brothers. I would wake up to Christmas music being blasted on a turntable. My favorite was the Temptations Christmas album. When I’d go downstairs my dad would say something like you hear that music? Then he’d proceed to say that means today is Christmas eve’s eve’s eve’s eve’s eve’s eve’s….. you get the idea. I would be so excited. Then my dad would very seriously warn me that this could be the year of the bad Christmas. I’m happy to report the year of the bad Christmas never came.
Fast forward another 30ish years and I am now playing Christmas music for my son, Baby Joy Chaser. Things have changed in that I will not be using a record player like my dad an grandmother did. I pull up my favorite Christmas songs on YouTube and watch them with him. Technology may change but our family tradition is going strong.
What kinds of family traditions do you have in your family? When do you start preparing for the holidays?
