Christmas with Gloria and her Mom

BY GLORIA HARRIS

On Christmas, my mother and I always wake up early in the morning to open up presents, even thought the last couple of years I open one present a day the week before Christmas.

After we get dressed, we go to my grandma's house. My mother is the cook over there--talk about scrumptious! Most of my family on my mother's side of the go over to my grandma's house for the occasion. We all talk about what happend during the year and our expectations for the next one while the food is cooking. When the cooking is done, we all gather around the table to bless the food. My grandaddy isalways the one who blesses the food. Then, of course, we eat. About an hour later, when the majority of people are finished eating, we open up our presents. The youngest are always the first to open theirs, then the older people. When that's all done, the kids clean up the wrapping paper while the grown-ups clean up the other areas.

After we leave my grandma's house, we visit my papa and his wife. By that time, I would need something else to fill my tummy, so I fix a plate to eat and another one to take home. Once we finish eating, we open and share our gifts, then we clean up. We watch a movie or two until we get restless, then my mother and I head home to rest for a while. After that, we go back out to get and give our family members and friends their gifts.

My family doesn't have many traditions, but this one we do have is wonderful in many ways!