Christmas Throwback

Happy Christmas to you all!

Hope you've had wonderful Christmas and enjoyed some time off school or work.

Over the Christmas period, I found some old (seriously old) photographs of my brother Tom and myself. It's always fun to look back at old photos but even better when they bring back wonderful childhood memories.

Like most families, we have lots of traditions that still happen today. The only thing that has changed is that I don't wake Tom up at 4am anymore! 

Growing up, the routine was that I would wake up first and discover that Santa had been (yeeeeees!) by feeling whether the stocking at the end of my bed was full or not. I can remember waking up loads of times in the night and could feel the full stocking but could see that it was only 1am so tried going back to sleep, waking up again thinking it must be at least 6am but in fact it was 1.15am.

Once I'd decided that we'd slept enough, I'd take my stocking and wake Tom. This wasn't always an easy task as this boy sleeps through fire alarms and earthquakes! When I'd finally awaken him from his slumber (much to his annoyance) we'd open our stockings. Each year we'd take it in turns as to whose bed we'd open them on. 

When the stockings had been opened, we'd sneak downstairs to have a look at the presents waiting for us. If it was still stupid o'clock we'd sit and watch TV but if it was a normal time we'd go and wake Mum and Dad up. The past few years, Mum and Dad have been up before us waiting.

This rule still stands........ no presents before breakfast! As a kid, I found this hard as I was soooooo excited I couldn't eat my cereal.

Each year, Christmas dinner gets later and later. This year I think it was nearly 4pm when we sat down to eat it! But who cares, it's Christmas!!

What are your family traditions? And how early have you woken your parents up before?

Lisa x