I was so good about writing memories and then I stopped. I have been thinking a lot about my Christmas's in Germany when I was younger. I guess because it gets dark here so early and the weather is so dreary. Somehow that didn't bother me there. Maybe because I was in school all day. I have carried on so many of the traditions of my childhood there. I have all white lights on my tree because of that. Germans didn't put colored lights on their trees. The white lights signified candlelight and starlight and even sunlight - in other words it was more natural than colored lights on your tree. Heidi has blogged about Advent so I won't go into that but it is a very important part of our family's Christmas. St. Nicholas coming on the eve of December 6 is important to us. Our family puts out their shoes and gets little treats and presents on the Eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas. I think my love of Christmas came because of the love of Christmas and the simplicity of it then and there. It had only 15 years since WWII was over when we first went over and so things were still on the comeback. I am sure my Christmas memory is much different from someone's now. At that time family traditions were still essential to what Christmas was all about. In my mind that is still what Christmas should be. I think that is why I have such a hard time when it is just Clyde and me. I have to find a family to focus on or it doesn't work but that family has to have a few of our traditions or be willing to accept our traditions for the day at least. However I have found that as we have shared our traditions we convert more and more people. Next year Clyde and I are going to have to find an Aebleskiver pan so we can give one to the Halverson's before they leave the area. It has been fun going over their several times during the Christmas season and making Aebleskivers with them but I think that is one tradition they will be more than willing to carry on. It has been more fun because they celebrate St. Nicholas and Advent. To not have to explain why we do something is kind of nice.
The other thing I realized as I was watching Polar Express the other evening with Taylor Halverson is that I can still hear the bell. I do believe in Santa and always have. No one will or can EVER take that away from me. I know that he is real and living. To not have Santa during the holiday season would be very heartbreaking indeed.
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Carlye's class did Christmas around the world yesterday, and all of the 2nd graders traveled from room to room learning about the different Christmas traditions from each country. She was so proud when they traveled to Germany, because she is German and had family who used to live there and she knew the answers to all of the questions and even learned to sing Silent Night in German. Apparently it was a very exciting day. Love you!
Sometimes people don't believe me when I tell them that my mom still believes in Santa Claus. If they know you though, they do!
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