unique holiday tradition

sooo i thought long and hard about this topic and couldn't come up with a single holiday tradition that could be deemed "unique". silly, strange and ridiculous, yes. but unique, not so much. the only thing that i guess might be unique is the fact that i, more or less, have to suffer through two of each holiday bc my parents are divorced. i have two birthdays, two thanksgivings and two christmases. sure this may sound awesome, but let me assure you, it is anything but. i think it would be fine if i got a full day with each family for each holiday, but again not the case. i have to split the day and cut my visiting with each side of the family short. only getting to see uncles and cousins that i see strictly on the holidays for just a couple short hours. when most get excited to go christmas shopping, bake cookies and listen to christmas music the day after halloween, i begin to dread the upcoming holidays. the guilt rolls over me like a frickin steam roller as i start think about splitting my time and having to leave one family early and see the other family late. it makes me sick to my stomach....theres that irrational behavior again. i guess you can kind of call me a grinch...but i dont want to ruin it for other people. i guess a grinch in my own head?

that being said, i cant imagine not being with either side of the family for the holidays. thinking about missing out on one sides celebration makes me really sad. everytime i consider "well maybe ill do thanksgiving with mom and christmas with dad this year", it always comes up a wash bc i ALWAYS choose to do both. holidays aren't holidays without my family.

and NOW i have my fiance's family that i need to work into the equation. they live 5 hrs away so that makes it even more complex. this is the first round of holidays where i've had to split among 3 families. ill let you know how that turns out.

**i sort of thought of something that i guess could be called a tradition. every year that jeff and i have been dating, i have bought him an ornament for the christmas tree i hoped we'd have together one day. i tried to always find a picture ornament with the year on it so we could look back and laugh at how we looked through the years. this is the first year we will have our own tree and finally get to use all of the ornaments. the thought really does make me warm and fuzzy inside :)