12.14.2011

MilSpouse Holiday Blog Swap 2011

(NOTE: The Swap doesn't go live until Midnight EST but my computer was too excited to wait)

Hey there Lovelies!! Merry Christmas! I am so excited to be participating in this year's
I jumped on that wagon as fast as I could! Be sure to head over to Riding the Roller Coaster's wonderful blog (or just click that adorable little button) to check out all of this year's participants and even if its just a few, go visit and leave them some comment love! 

Don't be a blog comment Scrooge otherwise you'll get some ghoulishly haunting visits from the Ghosts of Blog Comments Pas, Present, and Future. 

As for me, today my post for the Blog Swap can be found over at Faith & Deployments and lucky you, its a video blog! Go listen to me jabber on and on about our holiday traditions.

Now to the main event. I have the beautiful and wonderfully talented JG here sharing with us a little insight into her family's Christmas! 

One of my favorite things  about Christmas was always going over to my Grandma and Grandpa's  house. I have something like 60 cousins on that side of the family,  counting all of my cousins' kids. Not everyone gets to make it every  year, but it's the best day of the year, getting to see everyone who has  moved away and only gets to come back once or twice a year. Now, we're  one of them. We  don't do presents, really. The little kids get presents, 12 and under.  But before anyone can open any presents, we sing Christmas carols. Yes, we do.

this particular year was during an Oklahoma-style  blizzard, so it's a smaller crowd than  usual

Every year, we sit around my Grandparents' TV and pop in the old Mickey's  Christmas Sing-A-Long VHS in the VCR and sing along with the bouncing  Mickey head. It is by far my favorite 10 minutes of the whole season.  Everyone sings, the little kids and the parents and the grandparents.  And we've got a lot of talented people in my family, so it's actually a  quite enjoyable experience, with harmonies and embellishments. It's a  blast.

Then the video goes off and the kids say, "Let's open presents!" And my dad says,  "How about we sing the video one more time???" And they all yell, "NO!"  Every. Single. Year.

My Grandpa died a few years ago. My Grandma died in September. Christmas  won't be the same without my grandparents.

This year, we aren't meeting at their house. We're all still getting  together. We're going to do the sing-along. We're going to enjoy our  family. And we're probably going to talk about them a lot. I'm not  really sure what to expect, but I know we'll all miss them. And I know  it'll make them happy to know we're all together.

Sounds like a good time to me. Now get going on making the rounds! 

Merry Christmas Lovelies & Happy Holidays!

9 comments:

The Household 6 Diva said...

I love that you watch the same video every year.

I love that the kids yell "NO" at the request for watching it one more time.

And I love the warm feeling I get when I read your description of extended family and hospitality.

I am so sorry for the loss of your Grandmother this year and all the changes that it will bring to your family's holiday tradition.

But I have a feeling their spirit will be there with you all as you sing along with Mickey, laugh at the predictable reaction of the children, and smile at the warmth and hospitality that they have imparted to all of you to carry on! (hugs)

To the Nth said...

Beautiful story, JG. May the memory of your grandparents be a blessing during the holiday season and all throughout the year.

Allie said...

What a beautiful celebration. I love that you do a sing a long! This will be my husband's first Christmas without his grandfather, so we have a similar sort of thing going on. I hope the memory of all these wonderful people keeps our holiday traditions strong for years and years to come.

Goodnight moon said...

awwww.....i'm so sorry for your loss! grandparents are such incredible people in our lives. they are the founding glue to our families.

you will be able to celebrate them this year, with all their good memories of past christmas.

hugs!!!!

Julie Danielle said...

What a great family you have! I have such a tiny family (1 cousin) that I just dream about a family that big. I am sure this year will be a little harder but sure you will remember your Grandparents through the holiday.

erika said...

Cute! :)

(And loved your vlog, Mrs. S!)

*hopping around the Milspouse Holiday Blog Swap!*

Unknown said...

I love that Disney stretches all the way into your Christmas and extended family. Its so fun!

Anonymous said...

hello my beautiful world
hello everyone on this place!
i am Kate

Roller Coaster said...

I often wish my family had a tradition like that, a tradition that goes on regardless of circumstances. I'm so sorry about your grandparents. But I'm sure your family will have a great time continuing your tradition and reminiscing about the good times spent with your grandparents. :)

Thank you both for participating in the blog swap. Merry Christmas!