Growing up we always went caroling to the families in our neighborhood and to some of my parents close friends, who sometimes this was the only time of year they saw them. One of my favorites was the "Coca~Cola" House. This was a friend of my parents who had worked for Coca Cola and had quite the collection of memorabilia.
Growing up I remember between Christmas Eve and New Years Day we would have a Japanese Dinner. As I got older it became a Christmas Eve Tradition. I love this tradition. My Dad served his mission in Japan and this is the one time a year that he makes a Japanese dinner of some of his favorite meals when he was there.
When I went away to college I was a 12 hour drive to home and a 2 hour flight home. I made the chose to only come home for Christmas while I lived away. I did come home 2 of my three summers for a week or two, but never for Thanksgiving, or anything like that. When I went on my mission I left in Aug and came home in Jan, so that meant I missed two Christmas's away from home. That first Christmas was hard as I had never been away from home for Christmas. When my company Sister Wadley and I arrived at the Bishop's home for dinner on Christmas Eve, I was pleasantly surprised that we were having a Japanese dinner, just like I would have if I had been home. The Bishop was of Japanese descent and this was one of their family traditions too. They didn't know that it was a tradition in my home to have this meal, so it really made my being gone for my 1st Christmas that much more easier for me.
It has been 11 years since that Christmas, as in Jan I will have been home from my mission for 10 years. Boy the time sure flies. I have missed a few of these dinners in the last 6 years as I have not lived close enough to come home for Christmas, but I am looking forward to it again this year!
I hope you all have a great Christmas and enjoy doing your own traditions!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
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1 comment:
That's so cool! Definitely something unique!!!! :)
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