The 3Fs--requisites for the Andersen's holiday

When I was little, I'd wake up
Christmas mornings around 4 a.m, so excited I could barely breathe. I'd head straight for my parents' room, where I'd rouse them to ask, "Is it time?"

"Not yet," they'd mumble around big yawns, so I'd go back to my room and thumb through a book for awhile before heading back down the hall to give it another try.

They'd usually cave around 6 since they were only getting to sleep in five minute snatches anyhow and it was clear I wasn't going to give up. But even then I couldn't go into the living room where the tree and the presents were, because my brothers and I weren't allowed in there until Dad had built the fire. It was tradition.

One that I didn't pass on to my own kid, remembering the pure torture of that final five minutes after everyone was finally up. We did, however, build traditions of our own.

One of our favorites is the Annual Christmas Tree Slaughter. This isn't a From-the-beginning one; that's the cool thing about traditions--it's okay to be fluid. Some are around forever, some are discovered later, and all are those that simply work for you. This one came about because of a lot-bought Christmas tree that dried out so fast I truly feared it was going to spontaneously combust in its stand. From that point on, I wanted to know when our tree had been cut--and the only way to do that is to chop down your own.

So in early December we drive out to this wonderful tree farm in Orting, Washington, where we meet family and friends and whichever of their kids/grandkids are available. We all scatter to select our trees (I'm a diehard Frasier Fir girl, myself--love the shape and that blue underside) cut them down and meet up again outside the netting shed to head to a cafe for lunch. It's a day I look forward to with great anticipation.

Another is my mother's annual Ladies Party, where there are usually four generations of women sitting around eating, drinking and doing what women do best: connecting.

We have Christmas Eve for the soulmate's side of the family at our house, and his sister always makes lefsa, a Norweigian potato/whipping cream pancake-like dessert. Christmas morning it's just me and my guys. But after we open gifts the three of us go down to Doug and Mimi's and have brunch with them and their two boys (men, now). Then it's off to my mother's to celebrate with my side of the family.

Connie Brockway did a great blog once on a tablecloth that they've had guests autograph over the past twenty or so years. We don't have a tradition like that. But we have our own that revolve around the 3Fs-- family, friends and food. And as long as we have those, I'm a blessed woman.

Tell me about your traditions.