The Holidays!

My dad and the tree last Christmas!

So the holidays are coming around. Christmas is actually one of my favorite times of the year because I think this is a holiday where gifts do not matter all that much, but rather the memories and happiness while being with friends and family. Thanksgiving is also a great time. I have so many things to be thankful for, especially the fact that my dad is still here after three heart attacks in the past three years. When my family lived in New Hampshire, we would always drive up to Michigan for Thanksgiving and Christmas to be with my dad’s side of the family. Now that we live here, everyone moved away! However, just being here with my immediate family is the most amazing thing in itself. My mom prepared the world’s best turkey last year. My favorite Thanksgiving dessert is my grandma’s pumpkin bread. For Christmas dinner, my sister and I normally make our parents dinner. This year, I think we are making a big honey baked ham with macaroni and cheese! I love to bake too. I still make all those sugar cookies and decorate them for Santa.

After Thanksgiving, my dad, sister, and I always get up to go do the early shopping. It has just been a tradition in our family. My mom takes no part in that though! She feels claustrophobic and hates shopping anyways. The past few years, we bought one big present for the family. Two years ago, we bought us a nice 60 inch flat screen for the family to use. Last year, we all went to Florida and that was gift! This year, we decided to each make a Christmas list of the five things we either want/need and we are going to have a nice celebration just at home. I have not put too much thought onto my list but I think I am going to ask for a few things for Spain. I also might like to get a few pieces of clothing, since I basically wear the same things throughout the year!

My family in Florida last Christmas!

On Christmas morning, we have had a family tradition of us four since we were born. When my sister and I were too young to walk down the stairs, my mom would sit us on the top of the stairs and my dad would video-record us walking down the stairs into the living room with the tree. Now that we are older, Amanda and I still are forced to wait at the top of the stairs. It is funny how Christmas morning, we all are awake at 6 am because we still have that thought that Santa was actually real and really came! Gosh, I remember the day I found out Santa was unreal. I was heartbroken for a whole year! My parents actually hid Santa from us until we were 10. Nowadays, I am hearing that parents start when kids are like 7 or 8. Overall, I am super excited for Christmas and Thanksgiving!