Our list

This year, living in a new place, we're losing a few traditions.  Kolby and I are feeling horribly guilty about it.  We haven't felt too guilty about the move--it was necessary.  Gotta feed the family. But we are feeling bad about the holidays this year.  We were talking about our traditions the other day with the girls and got a few sad "But we always..." comments from them.  We are especially feeling guilty about not taking the girls to Sunriver this year.  

We've spent the week between Christmas and New Year's in Sunriver with friends every year since Amelia was born, and it feels so cruel not to go this year.  And I guess I'm not fully convinced we won't end up caving in and decide to go....even as I write this I'm thinking we should.  Money shmoney.  Economy shmeconomy.  No we shouldn't.  We can't.  I just remembered all the stuff we have to pay for after Christmas (trip to Utah for the wedding, Disney World, ski school, etc.).  I feel a little like Cameron in Ferris Buehler right now.  

I never noticed Cameron's house before.  That's exactly the style of house I want.  I think I need to rent that movie again.

Anyway, we usually make a list in early December of things we want to do during the holidays. Traditions, I suppose.   This year, some will be tweaked for location.  But here it is--the list.

• Tree shopping, decorating, etc.  (doing this today!)
  
• Bake gingersnaps
• Make gingerbread houses with friends
• Go shopping downtown at night to see all the lights and crowds
• Make Swedish pancakes on Christmas morning
• Visit Santa (usually do this when we are in the city)
• Watch  "A Christmas Story" and "Elf"
• Listen to our Christmas tunes until we can't stand to hear them for another 11 months
• Fight over who gets to put the next ornament on the advent calendar

And new for this year:

• Go iceskating in downtown Bellevue park
• Visit the light show at the Botanical Gardens
• Watch the boat light parade on the beach
• Make Pam's pastry wreath

We usually go to the Nelson's for Christmas Eve.   Christmas Eve was always a big party night for me growing up (white elephants and Bingo at Grandma's house), and the Nelsons have been wonderful enough to include us in their family so our kids have had that same experience.   I feel bad for the kids that we're going to be up here on our own this year.  Christmas Eve sounds so lonely!  

So we're still in discussions about what the holidays are going to look like.  Kolby has to take some vacation time, so that will be nice to have him home and relax a bit.  We'll head to Portland for a couple days.  Catch a movie on Christmas Day.  Do some skiing if it ever decides to snow.  Or maybe we'll just go to Sunriver.