Flashback Friday: First Christmas
December, 2005…our FIRST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER! I got to thinking, as there are apparently only 100 days until Christmas (God help us all!), about Christmases past. In 2005, Mark and I spent our very first Christmas together. I was very keen to include some of my American/family traditions as well as adapting to my new family’s traditions.
I REFUSE to allow artificial trees in my home so Mark and I tromped out about 40 minutes from our house to select a REAL Christmas tree. We bought ornaments that were OURS and I set to filtering out some of Mark’s “old” ornaments and decorations. We ended up with a rather lovely tree, if I do say so myself.
One of my American traditions is that in our family we tend to open the bulk of our presents on Christmas Eve. So I insisted that Mark and I would always open at least one present for each other on Christmas Eve and we have stuck to that. That first Christmas together was probably the last Christmas where we actually bought each other more than one or two tiny presents! Ah, the good old days, eh!
That first Christmas in 2005 was actually a WHITE Christmas which I like to think was England’s Christmas present to me. I love snow at Christmas as I am from Wisconsin where there is almost always a VERY white Christmas. I’m a bit crazy like that. Nothing says winter and Christmas to me like SNOW and plenty of it. My English family doesn’t necessarily agree with me but that’s ok!
Three years later, in 2008, we had another FIRST CHRISTMAS to celebrate…Ella’s 1st Christmas! Ella was 6 months old on her first Christmas so was able to sit up, grab things, rip things and enjoy the fun of opening presents. I believe we even let her try a teeny bit of the Christmas dinner as we were in the weaning stages then.
Christmas 2008 was a lovely one as we had Mark’s twin sister and her family here from Singapore so we really got to celebrate properly. The Christmas before (2007) I had been pregnant and was lucky enough to have my Mom around as well as Mark’s sister and family. We’ve been very fortunate to have some truly special Christmases, especially since Ella has been around.
This Christmas we will have another FIRST! Bebe #2 will be a few weeks old for this Christmas so we’ll have another special member of the family to include in the fun and frivolity. Mark’s sister and her family are coming specially from Australia this year as this will be their first opportunity to meet their new niece or nephew/cousin. I plan to sit back and enjoy the fun.
So, 100 days from now…CHRISTMAS! Do you have any wonderful Christmas Flashbacks that you’d like to share? Or any other wonderful memories? Flashback Friday is a walk down memory lane, complete with photos, and an opportunity to share them with the blogosphere. Happy remembering!
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Lovely flashbacks, I have plenty of nice Christmas flashbacks but I refuse to share them until December!
I LOVE Christmas!! Woo hooo
It is great that you were able to include your traditions into Mark’s, and out with the old and in with the new. This Christmas will be a memorable one – I hope that through the tiredness you will remember it looking back xx
I refuse to have an artificial tree too! LOL! And here in Germany and in Switzerland, we open the presents on Christmas Eve too. I love your Flashback, especially as first Christmases are so special. Yours this year with Bébé No 2 certainly will be!
Funky,
Yes, this Christmas will be very special! I’m just hoping I’ll be vertical for it!
Karin
Jenny,
Thanks for your constant support in Flashback Friday! This Christmas will be one to remember…and probably one that people will have to fill in the blanks on for me as I’ll be too knackered! I must start shopping or no one is getting anything!
Karin
Emma,
Have a great weekend.
I’ll look forward to your December Flashback Fridays then!
Karin
Aagh you mentioned the C word and it’s only September!
Great post though. How lovely you’ll have your new baby in time for Christmas. What a lovely pressie. Hope you’ll still get another one.
I didn’t link up this week after all. When I read back my post I didn’t feel it really fitted. Will try to write one to link up this week. It’s such a fab linky!
Only 100 days til Christmas!!! Oh no, MUST start thinking about presents…. but I know it’ll be a Christmas Eve made panic – I think I’m a man in disguise at times
Elena,
I know, it’s scary isn’t it?! I really need to get myself sorted as I don’t think I’ll be in a position to handle the shops BEFORE Christmas with a newborn in tow!
Karin