Holiday Traditions

Now that Halloween is behind us, I have shifted into planning for my favorite holiday, Christmas. I LOVE Christmas. I love the music, the baked goods, the church services, the lights, the decorations, and I love the buzz in the air. This year is especially meaningful as we will be celebrating our first Christmas as a family of four. On top of that, we will be hosting our extended family for the first time in our current house. I can not wait to celebrate with my family and to have them worship with us in our amazing church.

I realize Thanksgiving is the next holiday and I really do enjoy Thanksgiving. Who can't love spending an entire day feasting on delicious food, seeing family, and gearing up for the biggest shopping day of the year? I love it but I love Christmas even more.

When I think of Christmas, I think of traditions. I have always wanted to build my own family traditions that Maya and Makenna will continue when they have families. As a kid growing up, I recall my own family traditions such as attending church service on Christmas Eve and then driving around my small town looking at all the beautiful lights.  I also loved having my grandparents come to visit and knowing Santa didn't forget to put a big bag of chocolate Twizzlers in my stocking. 

Great memories.

As I think back to my childhood, I can't help but think "What are our traditions?"

I guess I don't feel we really have any at this point.  We usually spend Christmas with either my family or Dave's which means incorporating each families traditions into ours. With each family having their own traditions, how do we incorporate our own? 

I really feel my generation is used to spending each holiday with family whether it be Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter.  I also think my generation not only spends the holidays with family, we are also the ones driving and rarely hosting.  Spending each holiday with family is wonderful and precious but it does make it hard to find your own family tradition. 
 
Does anyone have this issue?  Has anyone overcome this?  Is it possible to have your own traditions as well as share in your extended family traditions?