merry blogging — day 1

We leave for Hong Kong in seven days, and I'm constantly fighting the urge to skip and breakout into song.

But instead of subjecting myself to strange looks from strangers, I thought it'd be fun to celebrate my excitement with seven straight days of merry blogging.

You're welcome, mother.
So to begin, here are seven of my favorite Christmas traditions — both past and present.

1. The delightful amount of effort and planning my mom puts into Christmas continues to amaze me. Seriously. This woman makes Santa's elves look like Scrooge. See the above stockings? My mom made those. I know, right?

2. My Dad always lead us down the stairs Christmas morning by covering our eyes. It made the "big reveal" so dramatic, and I loved it.

3. Performing the nativity (complete with elaborate sets, props and costumes) and the Hallstrom family testimony meeting are Christmas Eve traditions I will never forget. How lucky we were to learn at the feet of Grandpa Hallstrom!

4. Sisters' Night, baby! Erin began this tradition more than 20 years ago in which the Hallstrom sisters slept in the same bed on Christmas Eve — even despite long legs and my cuddling tendencies. Last year was the first Christmas we didn't do this (thanks to Mr. Stewart over here), but I got us matching PJ pants because "if we can't sleep in the same bed, we can at least sleep in the same thing!"

5. Singing/giggling "Rise Up Oh Shephards Run" with Megs almost every year for our Hallstrom Family Talent Show is definitely up there. We even sang a verse in Spanish. (ole!)

6. Cocktail wieners. 'Nuff said.

7. Adam and I are still forming our traditions, but it was a pretty merry morning waking up to him last Christmas. I'd say that tradition's a keeper.