Wednesday, December 1, 2010

On the First Day of Christmas . . .

Today I'm going to talk about a Barker Family Christmas Tradition . . .

Around our house, we love Christmas, and had lots of fun, memorable traditions growing up and that still continue today. One of my personal favorites is looking at Christmas lights and getting pajamas from the elves while we were out on Christmas Eve.

Apparently when my sister Kristalyn (I believe) was little, my parents got a deal going with Santa's Elves that every Christmas Eve, while my parents took their children out to look at Christmas lights, they would arrive at our house and lay out brand new, comfortable pajamas for everyone that was spending Christmas Eve at the house that night. I loved going and seeing some extravagant Christmas light displays that some people would put up in celebration of the season, and then arriving home to pajamas. I remember when I was little I would be so  nervous that they wouldn't come (and I'd be so nervous Santa wouldn't come--maybe I had a guilty conscience about something?), but without  fail, they always did.

As the years have gone on, our trips to Christmas lights have shortened significantly, typically just to a neighborhood near ours, but I always look forward to the new pajamas. I pretty much love pajamas, and if I could, I would wear them all the time (I don't though). After we look at our pajamas, everyone goes to change, and then we take a traditional family Christmas picture in front of the tree, sporting our pajamas. As I have been scanning some pictures for Forrest and mines' wedding video, I've come across a few from over the years. Enjoy!

Not sure what year this is . . . Maybe 1991?

Christmas 1996


Christmas 2007
Christmas 2008; I couldn't find the picture of us from this year...so pictures of the pajamas will have to do!
Christmas 2009
Photobucket

3 comments:

AJ and Cindy said...

haha that is one of my favorite traditions, too. I am glad I have gotten not so awkward looking over the years...but then again, maybe not!

Diana said...

You forgot one part of the tradition. Remember how on Christmas eve, every year you would throw up?? haha! In that first picture you look like you are about to! lol =)

Mars said...

how fun! We get PJs on Christmas Eve too but I like the elf thing while you're out looking at lights. So fun!