The Best Holiday Traditions

by Michelle Miles

Here at Pop Culture Divas, we’re talking about the holidays and traditions. It always seems to sneak up on me, even though I know it’s coming. And then I’m annoyed that Christmas stuff is up in the stores before Halloween has even come and gone.

I suppose that’s a tradition in itself. Even though we now the decorations are going up before we take the kids trick-or-treating, we still grumble about it. I like to carve pumpkins every year for Halloween and decorate the house with all the fall stuff I have. We usually buy mums that die in a week or two. This year, I had a fog machine for added effect whilst handing out candy.

I have a neighbor a few doors down who put up Christmas decorations around the first of November. They’re the first one on the block to get their decorations up. Maybe that was their goal – to be first.

Me, I like to get through Thanksgiving first. This year, we’re planning a big family get together at my mother’s. The whole family will be there. We plan to stuff ourselves silly. It doesn’t seem like we have very many Thanksgiving traditions. Except for turkey and dressing. Last year, it was just me and the husband. My son was with his dad and the rest of the family was busy with the rest of their family. So I cooked my first turkey. We made dressing. We watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Now that I think about it, I watch the parade every year. I guess that’s one of my traditions. We had another Thanksgiving dinner at my mother’s the weekend after. Apparently, I’m the designated cheesecake baker and I don’t come bearing cheesecake, my nephews are unhappy. I’ll e bringing cheesecake this year. ;)

So the day after Thanksgiving, we get the Christmas tree. This year, we’re buying a real one. I like to get one of those real wreaths, too. They smell so good. We put up all the Christmas decorations and deck the halls with lots of holly.

Then the next few weeks are full of all this build up to the big day. I spend that time finishing up the shopping, baking goodies and building a gingerbread house with my son. It’s our thing. We do that every year. Then Christmas comes and *poof* it’s all over. Just like that. Once all the presents are unwrapped, the new toys played with and the Christmas dinner consumed, I always feel a little sad that it’s done for another year. I mean, wasn’t it summer a few days ago?

And New Year’s. I confess I’m usually passed out before midnight. What can I say? I’m old and tired. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. ;) In past years, the first was always depressing for me. I never much liked turning over a new year. But now I try to embrace the new year as new beginnings.

Who am I kidding? I still don’t like it much.

As far as traditions go, my favorite one? Spending all that quality time with my most favorite people in the world. Everything else is just a bonus.


Michelle Miles writes contemporary, paranormal and fantasy romance. You can find out more about her books by visiting her website at http://www.michellemiles.net.