Holiday Traditions

This past weekend we decorated for Christmas. It being our first Christmas with Nicholas, it was an especially happy time!

The first decorations to go up were our Christmas Stockings.

My maternal grandmother started making them for her grandchildren back in the 1960's. After she died, others in the family took over the tradition. The same pattern she used is still used today. Whenever someone new comes into the extended family, they are given a Family Christmas Stocking. Here is Nicholas's brand new stocking, hanging next to my 38-year old stocking and Fred's 3-year old stocking (our 3rd wedding anniversary was back in November).

And of course, our Christmas tree which now has 4 generations of ornaments, dating back to both of our grandmothers.

This year we added a few ornaments for Nicholas. This one is from his Uncle Matt and Aunt Anmarie...

And here is the one from us...

In order to commemorate where he was born we have also ordered an ornament from Texas, which is being sent to my parents' home and they will bring it when they come a few days after Christmas. Each year the Texas State government issues a new ornament using the symbols of the state. Here is this year's ornament. We also love that it says 2008 on it. How perfect is that?