Traditions: No Ordinary Socks

This tradition may seem a bit strange to many.

And the pictures may seem a bit creepy.

hee hee hee

But, to me, this tradition holds great meaning and value.

TRADITION #3

"EVENSON" CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

It all began with this adorable looking treasure.

MY Christmas Stocking.

I love it more than I can tell you.

I love it for so many reasons.

I love that it's not your traditional "cute" stocking.

I love that it is old and worn.

I love that my mom made it.

And I love the memories that come rushing back every year when I take it out of the box.

My mom made all of us these crazy stockings.

They were all different.

And they were all weird.

HAHAHA! 

And when you know our family, it makes so much sense.

Beautiful, traditional stockings just wouldn't seem right.

Now, the tradition continues.

EVERY time someone gets married.....

we make the 'newbie' an "Evenson" stocking.

EVERY time someone has a baby.....

we make the little cutie an "Evenson" stocking.

We've made just about everything you can imagine.

So, you see, 

joining our family comes with great benefits.

Now, these stockings mean even more to me, and I'll tell you why.

When I married Ricky, Christmas was a bit tricky at first.

They had THEIR stockings, and we had OURS.

EVERY year, when I hung the stockings, there was something inside that just didn't feel right.

I would look at them all hanging, and it became a constant reminder to all of us of two separate lives.

Lives that we had all lived before.

And life now was so different for all of us.

We had all been through something painful and all those different stockings seemed to scream reminders of that to me.

Well, last year, I received a very special gift.

My sister Lori had me for Christmas.

So, she gathered my parents and I believe another sibling or two,

and they made my sweet family all new stockings.

Fitting right in with age-old "Evenson" tradition,

they are all different,

and they are all weird.

And I LOVE them.

This one is one of my favorites.

It's my favorite because my dad made it.

I can picture him in my mind, sitting at his dining room table, and taking his time making this.

I can hear him laughing as this strange little stocking came together.

I LOVE our Christmas stockings.

I love that when I hang them, they are all the same. 

I love that when I hang them, I see a family.

Not your 'traditional' family,

but a family who loves each other and who are making it work.

They represent so much more than Christmas.

We're all a little weird in the Blaylock home

And now we all have weird little stockings.

HO HO HO