Traditions

Traditions are important. When I was a kid, every Christmas began with mom and dad waking my sister and me up. We'd open our presents and then go over to my Uncle Dick's and Aunt Grace's for breakfast. We'd then go to our grandparents.

We I grew up and moved away we had to create new traditions. We now go to dinner on Christmas Eve before going to our church's candlelight service (the last song is Silent Night and the congregation holds up lighted candles). On Christmas Day, we go next door to Charee's mother's home and then visit with friends from church.

This year we went to a really nice restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs - The Famous.

Outside the restaurant after dinner - It was a beautiful Christmas Eve evening in downtown Colorado Springs. No snow!!

We sing "Silent Night" to close the Christmas Eve service. Both Bradford and Jackson look(ed) forward to the candle lighting ceremony. As they have become older, I think that they both have an understanding of the powerful symbolism of the Christ Candle in the darkness of the world.

We don't dress up a lot. Christmas Eve has also been a night that mom has been able to see her two handsome boys in nice clothes!

Jack has a more artistic flair than I (not that that is saying much....). When he took this picture he was holding the camera in a funny angle. I thought that he was messing around and said something like "just take it please!" He was trying to get a different effect. Not bad really given the "point and shoot" equipment!