All I Want for Christmas... Is You

So, as I might have mentioned in a previous post or at least in conversation with some, poor Sean has been subjected to his mother's singing a lot over the past couple of weeks. In particular, I've had a 24-hour holiday music station on when we are hanging out at home and have been discovering that I don't know as many words as I would have thought for some of our popular carols. But, it's been a chance to expose him to music (however cheesy it might be), do some dancing around, and get myself and him in the holiday spirit. And, it's prompted some thinking about celebrating holidays and the traditions we want to continue (or start) during the holidays.
First of all, I feel like we've had our present: a healthy, happy baby boy in 2008, the inspiration for this post's title this morning. At his two month checkup on Thursday (we did it early since we knew he would be out of town), we learned that he's 13 lbs (94th percentile), 23 inches (75th). Not surprising that he is really thriving on his milk-based diet given how many gallons (of skim cow milk, obviously) Chris can put away in a week. Our pediatrician assures us that breastfed babies are often bigger and that his weight was very healthy and nothing to be concerned about.
And, we've had to, of course, figure out what if anything to get our guy as Christmas presents. A two-month old doesn't understand the whole present thing, obviously, so he won't go whining to his friends if he doesn't get what he wants. And, of course, having a kid is a big financial challenge, especially when we are planning to be at home with him full-time for at least most of next year (quick recap of our child care plans for those who are curious: I return to work right after New Years but am scaling back my work as Director of Domestic Campaigns at RESULTS to 80% time and will be at home with Sean two weekdays/week and will do some work from home on evenings and weekends; Chris will continue his 20-hour/week research gig at the Sunshine in Government Initiative and will be home with Sean probably Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays). So, as we both have joked, what we are mainly getting our son is the chance to be at home with his parents in 2009, something that we both think is probably far more valuable, and expensive, than any other present we can imagine. And, it's a way to model from the outset that what really matters isn't always something you can put under a tree...
But, we are getting him a few things (books, music, etc.) that we find we want/need anyways. And, I suspect that others will get him presents as well, including items from our Alternative Gift Registry, which I've tried to keep updated as a way for me to track for myself what we have and might need (and pass on as a resource for other friends who might join us in this parenthood adventure).
Of course, the holidays are not just about bad singing (or good, if you are not me) and presents, and we are thinking about what traditions we want to establish for our growing family. Despite my usually-agnostic views, I think this time of year feels sacred and even more so with all the beautiful music celebrating the birth of a special child. Chris' family is Catholic and, despite my typical jetlag, I've loved the singing at Christmas Eve Mass during our Christmases in California. My mother and sisters and I frequented the Methodist Church in Westford but we were the opposite of many families: we went regularly except for most holidays. We are thinking we will seek out a Christmas Eve gathering of some sort, perhaps in a local unitarian church, to have that moving experience and sense of community on Christmas Eve. And, we'll be blasting the Christmas music up in Westford and, I hope, scaring the neighbors by using my mother's karaoke channels using her on demand cable.
I'd also like to establish traditions of focusing beyond ourselves during the holidays (and, of course, all year long). I'm not sure we can juggle volunteering this month as we adjust to our schedule (juggling breastfeeding on not-yet-a-regular schedule and the overall lack of sleep make me intimidating by logistics), but I'd like to do so in the future. And, perhaps, making it a family tradition to discuss our donations so they "mean" something for Sean-- I'd suggest those looking for suggestions for this year in his honor consider the birth center (our great resource for prenatal care as well as support during labor and delivery), the Mary's Center in Adams Morgan (our pediatricians-- who focus on the underserved Latino population in the area) or the breastfeeding center downtown (they do free consults and lots of support for those who cannot afford their fees... and have been so helpful for me to deepen my knowledge of breastfeeding and connect with other new parents during their weekly group discussions). Or, of course, there is my employer for the last 10 years-- I know that our work at RESULTS shifts policies that make sure children here in the U.S. and beyond can survive and thrive with adequate health services, educational opportunities, etc. And we all know that so many good organizations are facing real challenges during these tough economic times...
Then, when thinking of holiday traditions we can't forget the food! We haven't done any real holiday baking here-- Chris is our baker (I love to cook but don't specialize in the sweets) and his almost-full-time schedule this month has meant we haven't dove into the cookie scene yet. But, I hope we will do so when we fly up to Massachusetts tomorrow (for those stalking us and confused: we just rebooked our tickets from today to Monday morning as they get more snow up north). I am excited to indulge in Mom's frango, spritz, Mrs. Dowling's peanut butter kiss cookies, sticky buns made by my Gramma (who is in Westford as of last night), and frequent snacking on Nuts and Bolts. We'll also munch on chocolate crinkles, lemon meringue pie, and/or other foods that are a part of the traditions of Chris' family. Our stockings, including the stunning handmade stocking made for Sean by Mrs. T, will include an orange at the bottom-- a tradition on both sides. Not surprisingly, Chris loves his Christmas stocking as a vehicle to load up on candy and other sweets, while mine typically sets me up in the toiletry department for a long while (plus often great gag gifts). We'll blend our stocking faves as well as rituals for opening presents under the tree one at a time after a big breakfast.
Sean will also experience luminaries-- Westford's tradition of lining the streets with candles. Ironically, I think luminaries are a New Mexico mainstay, where Chris' parents Pat and Jeff and his sister Meghan will be as of tomorrow night. So Sean's family will be surrounded by luminaries in two different corners of the country!
There is probably a lot more to mention vis a vis holiday traditions and our plans, but I'm a bit stumped (and thinking a boy sleeping peacefully in my lap will not be in that state for much longer!). We'd love your input and suggestions as we think about keeping in the real holiday spirit. Love and good wishes to all over this special season!