Christmas Traditions

Christmas Eve is at the Miller house this year, as its been the last five. I decided against the traditional turkey and potatoes dinner and went with a more Italian feel (although we're Portuguese, not Italian). We're having mozzarella sticks, sourdough spinach dip bread bowls, lasagna, green bean casserole, french bread, and a salad fit for a king. I'm making everything from scratch (minus the casserole--thank you Best Mother Ever). Should be delicious, traditional or not. I've spent three days shopping, cleaning and prepping for TODAY where (after this blog post) I'm going to park my feet in front of the oven for five hours.

There is one tradition that will remain the same this year: Every year I light a bunch of different candles and sprinkle them around the house. At the end of the night I go around snuffing them all out...but the last candle, the one perched on the living room window sill, gets blown out by the youngest at the party.

After everyone leaves, Santa will stay up way past midnight watching some old Christmas movie on TNT (PLEASE let it be Christmas Vacation this year!) and struggle to put together the kids' gifts for Christmas morning. Some things never change...

Whether your Christmas is full of the lovely familiar or nontraditaional food and new-to-you family, the Miller clan wishes you and yours the merriest of season traditions.