One of the hardest parts of being married (that I've found) is the melding of traditions from two different families.
My family opened presents on Christmas morning, but Bekah's family did their presents on Christmas Eve. My parents hung our stockings from the wall, and Aaron and I could open them as soon as we woke up Christmas morning (although, we had to wait till mom and dad were awake before we could touch the presents - I think their allowing us to get into the stockings was their strategy to sleep in and not be rudely awakened by excited children). Bekah's family laid their stockings out (covered by a blanket) and everyone dug into their stockings at the same time.
Somehow, we've managed to compromise which Casey family traditions we kept and which traditions were continued from the Forster side of the family. That means there are some traditions that we had to let go. Of the traditions that we did not carry over from our single days - there are two traditions that I miss.
1. Going out for ice cream dressed in shorts and a t-shirt on the first day of snow. This wan't really a Christmas tradition, but a winter tradition. My brother started it, and like many things in our younger days - Aaron was the perfect big brother - he included me. I continued this tradition after I moved to Boise - even to the point that I would wear shorts to work and brought ice cream bars in for my coworkers. I tried to revive this tradition when Bekah and I moved back to Coeur d'Alene; her little sister always wanted to go. But between my work schedule and other commitments we never were able to go.
2. Going to the movies on Christmas Day. I saw a lot of great movies on Christmas. I did the family thing in the morning and stayed at home through Christmas dinner, then I'd take off with friends. This was easier to do when I lived in Boise since I had no family there to share my Christmas. The last movie I saw on Christmas day was Shanghai Knights the Christmas before I got married. Bekah has not completely nixed this tradition... we still go to a movie every Christmas, just not on Christmas day.
We are still trying to forge our own Christmas identity. I think each year we have a more clear family tradition of our own. I'm curious what it will be like to watch our kids go through this same transition in another 20 years or so.
I have only gone out in shorts in the winter since moving to Cheyenne. THAT WAS COLD!!! Ice cream on the first snow.....no problem....since it could be September or October when it happens (and I probably have had ice cream on the first snow). Yeah, I miss that too, but I ain't gonna go out in T-shirt and shorts when it is snowing here, only because the wind is usually blowing too. And 32 here is colder than 32 in Mville. I'm cold just thinking about it now.
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