Established Traditions

In a recent post, I wrote about the excitement of new holiday traditions.  Today, I want to touch on established traditions- a custom that hasn't been around forever, but one your family has observed for a while and hopes to continue.  For the third year in a row, we have attended the Gingerbread House workshop at Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville.  This two hour event is just as fun for the adults as it is for the children and Graham, Maddox, and I have looked forward to it each December since moving to Virginia.  However, this year for the first time, Henry and Harper attended with us.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified.  I imagined our 3 years olds eating everything in sight, creating a frezied sugar rush followed by a meltdown, as per their usual.  It could be bad.  Really bad.

On the drive to the Boar's Head today, all the little ones napped.  Good start.  After we arrived and found our table, Maddox announced that she had to go to the bathroom and Graham offered to take her.  "No!" I insisited.  "You can't leave me here alone!"  Graham chuckled.  He evidently did not share in my anxiety about our twins being off the charts.  And, in the end, he was right.  The kiddos certainly had their fill of sugar while collecting candy for the house, but we kept them focused enough to continue participating in the activity.  Graham periodically walked H&H around to view the other gingerbread creations.  And a visit from Santa Claus left everyone dumbfounded and speechless.

I learned today that traditions don't have to be generations in the making in order to be special now.  And I concluded that most times my children leave me pleasantly surprised.  Our gingerbread house didn't look quite as professional this year.  But we had a heck of a good time creating it.  Three cheers for establishing traditions!