Christmas Traditions

Winter was always the most beautiful season, in Avery's opinion. The icicles like sharp knives appear on trees, cars, and houses. The white snow covered everything in sight, glistening in the snow and just so pretty. All the kids laughing and throwing snow at one another, building snowmen and creating angels on the ground. A nice cup of cocoa to warm your frozen hands as you curled up in front of the fireplace and listened to stories of past winters that your parents shared. Skating on the frozen pond only a few yards from home.

Winter was just... beautiful.

But Avery's favorite part of winter was Christmas.

This Christmas, she'd be 13, and she was so excited to see what the day brought her. Traditions were always a big part of winter, for her family, and they were always so much fun. She couldn't wait!

It started on what they liked to call Christmas Adam, the day before Christmas Eve. It's been a running joke in the Ried family for a long time, and it hasn't changed. On Christmas Adam, everyone stays home and spends the whole time baking.

They'll make so many cookies on that day. December 23rd. Everyone makes a different batch of cookies, whichever one happens to be their favorite that time of year, and they'll go out and sing carols, as well as giving some of their cookies to neighbors and friends.

Her younger brother, Axel, always makes the same ones every year. Mint Chocolate Chip. They were a classic, but so delicious. The chocolate melted in your mouth and made you smile and sigh in peace. Everyone loved his cookies.

Her sister, her best friend, her twin, Hope, was partial to Snickerdoodles, and rarely did she not make them. The only day she didn't was when they were 10, and she met an old man who was homeless. He had said his favorite cookies were White Chocolate Macadamia Nuts. The next day, she'd brought them to him, and he'd cried tears of joy. Sadly, he died later the next year. She still visits his grave, with the same cookie.

Tim, the oldest of them, liked to make Marble Sugar Cookies. He'd roll out three different types of batter. Green pistachio, red peppermint, and white vanilla. He roles it out and makes a marble effect, before taking Christmas-like cutters and making different shapes and designs. His cookies always end up being the biggest batch, with over 150 of them.

Her mother liked to make lemon-lavender cookies. They were delicious, and always a people-pleaser. They were sprinkled with powdered sugar, and always the first cookies to go. Often, her mom has to make more than one batch, so there's enough for everyone on the block to have some.

Her dad made a different type of cookie every year. One year was chocolate chip, the other was pistachio with coffee chips. Avery hoped he'd make those ones again, because they were just so delicious.

But Avery herself? She loved to make cranberry chocolate oatmeal cookies. They were her favorite cookies as a child, and that favoritism made the choice easy when it came to this tradition.

The next day, Christmas Eve, was more mellow than Christmas Adam. They all cuddled up on the couch with blankets, popcorn, candy, and hot chocolate or coffee, and watched movies all day long. Sometimes they did a marathon of Star Wars or Harry Potter, other times they watched superhero movies, rom-coms, and many, many more.

When the day was nearly over, and they were nearing bedtime, her father would always bring out 6 gifts. One for each of them.

The gifts would always be 1 of 2 things. New pajamas to wear on Christmas Day, or a personal ornament to put on the tree. Last year, it was ornaments, and Avery had put an angel, holding a bell, onto the tree. It hung there again this year.

Then, the children would be sent off to bed, and anxiously wait till morning to open their presents.

When Christmas morning finally came, Axel would be the first one up. He'd jump out of bed and go around yelling for everyone to wake up. Eventually, the rest of the family would come out into the living room, somewhat reluctantly, to open presents.

After the presents were open, they drove over to Mama and Papa's big house in the woods. Avery always loved going to her grandparent's house, and was a bouncy ball of energy the entire car ride.

When they arrived, the kids would all be ushered off to spend time with their cousins, and would spend the next few hours exploring and playing with one another.

At 5 pm, every year, they'd be called in for supper, where they'd feast on turkey, prime rib, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and many other dishes. Dessert was always a different set of pies, courtesy of Aunt Martha, who owned a bakery in the next town over.

After supper, they'd all settle down to play board games and tell stories, whilst snacking on whatever snacks had been provided, if they were still hungry. Before going to bed, they'd all share a toast to a great year, wine for the adults and sparkling cider for the kids.

To think, only a week until the best traditions started. Avery was so excited.

All she had to do was wait a week. She could do that.

It was only a week.