Tradition!

With the holiday season once again upon us, I've been thinking about traditions. My family has some, most notably the opening of presents on Christmas Eve night instead of Christmas Day. I don't know why that started - we've always done it since I can remember, and I think my Mom's family is the same way so that's probably where it came from. When I was younger I figured it was because we needed to clear space under the tree so Santa had room to deposit his loot. Another tradition, this one shared with most Americans, is trying to get the entire family together for Thanksgiving dinner. We've all at one time or another lived long distances away, but these last 2 years we've all been relatively close, within less than a 2 hour drive maximum. Mom always wears herself out making tons of food. This will be the first year Jerry joins my family for this holiday occasion. He's eaten with us as a group before, so I don't think it will be any different. It hasn't scared him off so far, so that's a good sign. I suppose once we're married we'll carry on this tradition of joining my family for Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing makes my mom happier than seeing all her kids and grand kids together, and she's such a wonderful person that it's nice to see her happy. Maybe Jerry and I will also start some traditions of our own. I'm sure we'll come up with some ideas. They don't even have to be associated with a holiday. Maybe we'll have a stay-in-bed-all-day-and-watch-movies tradition, or once a month ice cream for dinner. We already do have one tradition that we didn't even consciously come up with; it's just something we always do. Every time we leave one another's presence or even end a phone conversation with each other we say, "I love you".