For Valley Folks, Holiday Traditions Are Made Special With Family, Friends
Christmas is a time for keeping special traditions alive. And for starting new ones. Over the last month, Valley residents have sent us the stories behind some of their favorite holiday activities. We couldn’t print them all, but chose the following to share with our readers.
Feel free to try these in your own home.
Every Christmas morning, Marilyn and Vernon Eden wake up to the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls and the sound of gleeful grandchildren.
Although they live just five minutes from the children, they’ve made it a tradition to spend the night on Christmas Eve.
Marilyn’s daughter began the tradition 14 years ago, when her youngest child was just 1.
“Seeing the kids’ faces was wonderful,” said Marilyn Eden. “They’d come and get us up early because they knew we wouldn’t get mad.”
Marilyn and Vernon arrive at their daughter’s house about 6 p.m. Christmas Eve. They sip egg nog and hot cider and work on a puzzle with the family.
The children choose a new puzzle each year, Eden said. They started out simple, but are quite challenging now that the grandkids are teenagers.
“It’s always on the card table,” the Valley woman said. “and every one of us sits down.”
When the kids were younger, they would offer their grandparents their beds for the night. Then, the children would sleep on the floor in sleeping bags.
“We wake up to the wonderful aroma of cinnamon rolls, which we put in the oven the night before and put on ‘time bake,”’ Eden said. Together, they nibble on the sweets and rip open their gifts.
It’s much better than driving over for a visit on Christmas morning, Eden said.
It really pulls you close together,” she said, “You’re part of the family.”
People often ask Al Hess why he has baby rattles hanging on his Christmas tree.
The tradition began nearly 100 years ago, when his great-grandmother hung his grandfather’s rattle on her tree. It caught on, and soon the plastic bear, tied together with string, wasn’t alone.
In the Hess family, each birth now brings a new ornament for the Christmas tree, and new stories to share during the holidays.
“It brings back a lot of memories,” said Hess, who bought a rattle for his wife during their first Christmas together. Those who marry into the family can hang their own baby rattle, or buy a new one if they’ve lost the original.
The family passes the treasured ornaments down from generation to generation. When a son or daughter marries or leaves home, their mother sends it with them. Relinquishing the beloved rattle can be a difficult.
“My mother didn’t want to let go,” the Veradale man said.
Hess’ sister has many of the oldest, most fragile rattles on her tree in Michigan. They’re still filled with family stories, Hess said.
And more are being added each year, including his own granddaughters’
Their rattles, he said, now decorate his son’s tree in Spokane.
Every Christmas Eve, children in the Nelson family put on a show.
They spend months preparing songs and skits, musical numbers and magic tricks. The toddlers do twirls and somersaults. The babies show off their new Christmas outfit. The older children MC the event, which is attended by parents, aunts, uncles and other visitors.
“It’s produced plenty of creativity,” said Gloria Nelson, who began the tradition 46 years ago, when she had four little ones under 7.
Today, her grandchildren continue it. “It shows their talent,” the Valley woman said, “and it’s very entertaining.”
After the program, the performers pass out cookies and sparkling cider to the audience. Finally, they select one gift to open.
“It’s made Christmas Eve very special,” Nelson said, “and truly a family affair.”
Growing up on a farm in Colorado, Jo Lynne Seufer remembers having two Christmas trees.
The one inside was for the humans. The one outside belonged to the animals.
Her family would wrap colored lights around the huge elm tree that stood by their front door.
“We used to put the dog gifts under the outside tree,” the Liberty Lake woman said.
They included wrapped toys, bones, old blankets, and even dog food.
Today, her brothers run the farm and continue the tradition. Someday, when she owns a home, Seufer hopes to do the same.
Every holiday season, Rich and Donna Kiddoo gather up their three children, any friends and neighbors they can coerce, and go door to door caroling to their neighbors in Valleyford.
“I couldn’t get through Christmas without it,” said Donna Kiddoo. “You get away from the hustle and bustle and presents. It brings out the true meaning of Christmas.”
The group starts the evening with pizza - a bribe for the older children and teenagers who might be reluctant to participate.
“Then, we bundle up in our vans, drive to our neighbors, sneak up on their porch and sing,” Kiddoo said.
The group starts with a traditional hymn and finishes with festive carol.
“Then,” she said, “we dash to the next unsuspecting neighbor.”
They visit old friends and newcomers alike, paying special attention to those who are ill or alone. They stay just long enough to spread some holiday spirit.
“We try not to sing too much,” Kiddoo said, “It’s cold out and people have their doors open.”
The family has been caroling in their neighborhood for about five years. For two decades before that, Kiddoo caroled with her church. When the church stopped doing it, she decided to make it a tradition among her immediate friends and family.
“We come home truly blessed by the experience,” she said. “Sometimes we feel we just can’t schedule it into our busy calendar, but we are always thankful we did.”
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