One of the family Christmas traditions I have carried on is eating breakfast before any presents are opened. Kell and Jay were fairly vibrating with excitement by the time we finished eating. And, when I say "breakfast", I mean "BREAKFAST". Eggs, toast, bacon, orange juice, coffee, milk, etc. None of this "continental" roll and coffee/milk. Some years, the kids would sit in the living room in front of the tree, glassy-eyed and practically comatose with anticipation by the time I got breakfast ready. Then, they made quick work of the meal and darted back to the tree, at which time, DJ and I would saunter in and suggest that we open some presents.
One year, when I was about 10 years old, or thereabouts, after our Christmas breakfast, my mother went out one kitchen door and daddy went out the other. You could make a complete circle from our kitchen, through the dining room, into the hall where the bedrooms were, and then back up the hall to the kitchen again.
My parents ended up facing each other across the bed in the guest room. With a shrug, they got down on all fours and reached under the bed and came back up, each holding a box. The two boxes were startlingly similar, which they commented on, chuckling.
They went to the living room and exchanged boxes, and started opening them. Each of them had gotten the other a clock/radio - same color, same model, same brand. Clock/radios were fairly new on the market, and they both thought they had really come up with something that would be a big surprise for the other one. They were both right.
They laughed about that all morning, and it made a good story that they could tell to the relatives we always visited on Christmas. In fact, they dined out on that story for quite a while after Christmas, too.
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18 comments:
You'd make them eat breakfast first?! See, I wasn't born with that kind of patience. I probably would have burst. Then there'd be little bits of Tink all over the tree. Bleh.
tink: I was a mean old mama.
That would never have flown at my house either.
I remember my first clock radio and I wish I still had it (probably worth a fortune now on eb*y...LOL
Pure TORTURE!! We had to eat breakfast first too. As soon as I started my own traditions, we got rid of that one. Anyone that was hungry could just gobble down whatever was in the stockings. (There's always an orange...not that anyone ever eats it!)
A Slice of Life
We still do that, except that now I have added champagne into my orange juice, which I continue to drink most of the morning.
That is such a cute story about your parents! I've never heard that one! I'm so glad you blog.
kenju: Well, I told you I was mean. My kids were scared to death of me.
susan: Actually, I think the kids enjoyed the suspense.
kell: How could I have missed telling you that story? I'm slipping.
Sorry, I would have been up at 3 am with the frying pan if those were the house rules. Delayed gratification is VERY overrated!
We went to early church then had breakfast (cooked) before opening gifts.
I know several families that only open gifts after Christmas Lunch!!!!!
My wife and I still eat breakfast before opening our presents. We also like to wrap presents to fool each other, e.g. small bottle in large box. What a daft old pair. :-) .... Big John http://oldgit.wordpress.com/
we always have breakfast first too, but only toast, i need the room for all the turkey and chocolates, and cake and wine lol.
love the clock radio story, great minds think alike then.
We always had bagel and danish during presents. There were too many other big meals on Christmas to do a big breakfast too.
That clock radio story is so cute.
peggy: Obviously, you aren't mean enough.
grannymar: On the other hand, I know some people who open presents on Christmas Eve.
john: We like to disguise our gifts, too.
katy & karen: We have a big breakfast because we don't eat our Christmas dinner until late afternoon.
My family always opened gifts on Christmas Eve and then went to Midnight mass.
Our traditional dinner Christmas eve was Fin and Haddie. Which was smoked haddox cooked in lots of butter. We never had this wonderful fish except on Christmas Eve.
We have traditional breakfast also. I like the anticipation, myself. Why not stretch it out just a little longer? I think Kell has the right idea. We have added Apricot Slush to our menu and do the same!
I can't believe you made them wait until after breakfast! ha ha that's classic!
Great minds think alike!
that's an awesome christmas memory blog. Love it! I don't remember even eating breakfast on christmas. Mostly becasue we were in for SO much eating after we got to Grandmas.
I'm hoping that doesn't happen to me this year with my husband and I buying each other (as one of our gifts to each other) the same book. It could happen.
http://wordgirl5.typepad.com/apathy_lounge
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