There's no place like home for the holidays.

Something about Christmas just brings out the traditional/resistant-to-change-side of me. I am typically someone who is open to change. I like to think that I roll with the punches but there is a side of me that clings to the traditions of Christmas.

For one, I really am against putting gifts out under the tree prior to Christmas. Even though I am 22, my older sister is 24, and my younger sister is 19 - we still all wake up at 8 am and then at 9 wake our parents up and they go downstairs first. Once we get the ok (after my dad makes his coffee, gets a fire going, and in the past sets up his video camera - we've outgrown this aspect) we come downstairs and for the first time see the presents we are getting. That sense of wonderment that comes along with that moment is something that really flashes back to that sheer excitement of Christmas morning. The excitement that fades, no matter how grateful you are for your gifts, as clothes start to replace toys and games.

So, to preserve this sensation I try to keep this from changing. My two sisters still like to, once they have wrapped their presents, place them around the tree - mostly for the asthetic. I am ok with this because its not that big of a deal, and maybe because it has been going on for awhile.

A tradition I miss, that we used to do was making a Santa Calendar. I will have to, one day, relearn how to make these calendars. Essentially you make Santa's hat, face, and beard from construction paper. His beard you then grid out to make into the 25 days of December. Each night you glue a cotton ball over that number, as the day has ended. The end goal is that as of December 24th, you place the last cotton ball - completing Santa's beard. I know it's childish and not something I would still do at 22 - but i do miss it. Totally cooler than an advent calendar (although we did those too).

I guess I am a little more hung up on these this year because it is my older sister's last Christmas morning at home. She is getting married next year and as of Christmas 2010 - it will be just the 4 of us. I know it is silly, but its something I really enjoy and luckily my family gets that and keep these goofy traditions going.

There are a few other routines associated with this holiday that I won't bore you with. Anyway, it's too soon (by a few days) to be wishing everyone a happy holiday - but I will say be safe out there. Things get crazy this time of year with the amount of people on the roads, and last minute purchases, rushing around, etc. There are too many tragedies that occur around now - so everyone be safe, be smart, and especially - be good - there's still time to end up on the naughty list.