When we moved out of Los Angeles 12 years ago, we thought we wouldn’t have to start any new traditions because we were planning to go back after just two years.
Guess what? We are still here! Ha!
Needless to say, we quickly created new and lasting “Colorado” traditions. All these years later, the “new” traditions we created feel like they have always been. If we veer off course, the kids have a fit!
When the kids were little, I was buying gifts and wrapping them while they were at school and making SURE I had them locked up in Santa’s storage room. To this day, that room and the subject of Santa remains a willing “mystery”. All through the years and until now, I have told them I still believe and that if THEY believe, they will receive. We all keep it going and it’s hilarious!
So it all starts early in the morning of Christmas Eve….
Bing takes the kids down to Denver so they can get presents for each other and for us. Their first stop is at Syrup in Cherry Creek for a big, yummy plate of pancakes. They then rush all over the Cherry Creek mall looking for gifts for one another. I can always expect a call from each of them asking me if what they have chosen will work. I always have my phone VERY handy on that day so I can be a helping hand. I wish I had recorded those calls all these years.
They race back to Boulder to go to Barnes & Noble where somehow twelve years ago they started playing a super competitive game of hide-and-go-seek. Now in their 20s – they still LOVE it just like they did when they were little munchkins!!! They look so forward to that and always come back with some great stories about who won and how it happened – that’s always a highlight.
They are home by 2:45 so we can RACE to 4:00 mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sometimes we get a seat and sometimes…..well….we stand. One year we went to the spanish-speaking mass because we couldn’t get in the door for the early one. HAHAHAH.
While they were out all day, Mrs. Klaus was very busy putting together artichoke dip, cleaning shrimp for the roasted shrimp cocktail (Barefoot Contessa), chilling champagne, setting the table, and preparing dinner. My main meal comes from Barefoot Contessa’s “Parties” Cookbook – a beef tenderloin, roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted potatoes and a green salad (all from Barefoot Contessa). Whew! I’m also preparing some sort of chocolate dessert like a large cake or individual molten lava souffles which are always a big hit.
After church, it’s a real cocktail party. Now that the kids are old enough, we are serving delicious champagne vs the “kiddie” champagne that we used to give them 🙂 We’re playing Christmas carols and having SO many laughs. Someone always plays a joke on someone and last year, it was on ME. There was a tik tok thing going around where you tell your parents that their favorite celebrity died and watch the reaction. My reaction to Michael Buble dying was full of terrible swear words, so I can’t share it here with you 🙂 Let’s just say it went viral and boy did we have a laugh. See this great collection of glassware above? I think I want to upgrade mine to a full set of these.
The kids’ gift exchange during cocktail hour is my favorite part. They LOVE to sit around the tree and give gifts to one another. It’s sweet, funny and creative all wrapped up in one 😉 One year, Bo’s gift to me was to learn the song, “What the World Needs Now is Love” on his french horn. That might be one of the best gifts I have ever received.
To the dining room we go! I take out ALL of my Waterford Lismore Crystal , my Herend Blue Garland China paired with my FAV chargers by Raynaud! I have my newly polished sterling silver from Tiffany set on beautiful placemats and fancy napkins in Christmas-theme napkin rings. Weren’t old school wedding registries just the best! If we didn’t have a registry, I wouldn’t have all the beautiful things that I use and cherish today.
Dinner lasts a LONG time. Bing’s family can sit at the dinner table for HOURS where the O’Donnell family (mine) eats in about 15 minutes and calls it a night. Lol. I love that we have taken up with HIS family’s tradition on this because we spend so much time and have so many laughs together. It’s an amazing time to bond with one another. (Check out the O’Donnell family Christmas circa 1978 – yes that’s me pouting in the front!)
Loud music and a big kitchen clean come next. It’s kind of a dance party/clean-up and it’s a family affair and everyone helps.
What’s next is the quick change into matching pj sets (most years) and a night of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. We all try our best to stay up until the end and we usually ALL make it 🙂
In the little kid years, people were up EARLY to open presents. Now that everyone is an adult, they SLEEP. Not as many butterflies in their stomach’s from all the anticipation like the old days:(. The girls sleep on the same floor as the boys that night in the guest room so they can be there when Dad and Rover wake everyone up. They love the slow creep up the steps and then a RACE to the tree to open gifts.
Another Howenstein tradition is to open every gift person by person, SLOWLY. The O’Donnells’ tear through gifts in about 20 minutes 🙂 We have such fun with this.
Sometimes, we take a break for a HUGE brunch of eggs benedict, AMAZING FRENCH TOAST BAKE (email me for the recipe!!), hot chocolate, and mimosas. It’s the best! I use my Spode Christmas china, including gold charger plates….from Target!
Some people wind DOWN on Christmas night – not us! We have another FULL meal with our BFF family. We used to do the traditional turkey dinner, but in the last few years, we have switched it up and done different dinner – Mexican fiesta or an Italian feast. I’m on board for that this year, so any ideas – I’m open! This night turns CRAZY because we play a game – family vs family and it gets VERY competitive. The prize is a Gurgling Fish on a stand that we engrave year after year with the winning family’s name – this is VERY serious – ha!
By the way……..our Elf on the Shelf CONTINUES to this day even though not ONE of our children lives in the house – LOL. Bing hides that damn Ernie every day and sends a picture to the family group chat. Whoever finds it first, wins. In fact, as we speak, Paige texted saying, “No Ernie hiding today?” Guess they’ll just have to wait and see 😉
The holidays remain “the most wonderful time of the year” and I can’t wait till my gang is all home and ready to do it all again!
