It has been tradition in our home to decorate our house on December 3rd in rememberance of Mr. Incredible's dad. Today, was his birthday and he would have been 72 years old. When Mr. Incredible and I first were married, Mr. Incredible thought it would be a great thing to have a tradition where we always put our tree up on my birthday. However, we found with having young children waiting for the 16th to put our tree up was just too long of a wait! So, we switched to the 3rd when Warrior was about 2 or 3. This is how the 3rd usually goes. WE usually make it our family home evening and we go and pick out a fresh tree. However, I am so anal retentive about the lights on our tree that it will take me a full day to make sure the tree is covered perfectly, with lights. So, for the past 4 years we have had an artificially lit tree and may I say, "It has been the best thing" we can set the tree up and instantly go to decorating it. This year we were to do a REAL tree and decorate it with nothing but homemade ornaments. Last year I had bought many crafts and kits for our family to be able to make ornaments for each family home evening. These ornaments are still in the bags I purchased them in. We can get them done. WE will just have to do 3 a week! LOL!
We also will sing Christmas Carols and reminisce about previous Christmas' and ooh an ahh over the ornaments and remember all of the memories that come flooding back with each ornament we pull out of the box. This year we will not be putting up a tree because we will be in NY. While around the tree, Bill will tell stories of his Dad and the memories that he had of him. Bill's memories of his Dad live on in his children. They know their grandfather even though they have never met him. They know his personality and they always ask what he would be like. Bill's dad has been gone for 21 years.
I wish I had gotten a chance to meet him. He was a wonderful man. Bill has learned a lot through his dad's example. They were all so blessed to have him as their father, as my children are blessed to have Bill as theirs. Last year we received a wonderful gift from Bill's sister, Cheryl. She had comprised a booklet of all of their families Christmas letters that their dad had sent out about the family. He seemed to be faithful at writing these letters. Each year we were able to see how Bill and each of his siblings grew and we were able to hear how proud he was of each of his children but more importantly, he always bore his testimony of the gospel and how blessed they were.
Sadly, we had to decorate and tell stories without their dad (Bill) this year because he is in Atlanta for business. It is good to see that tradition and things can still carry on. I couldn't re-tell too many stories of their grandfather to them but I could tell them stories of their own dad. We laughed and decorated. We also always have hot cocoa, so the children gave a toast to their Papa Sol! may his memory live on for many generations to come. This is what my house looks like every year. I don't vary and the tree stays in the same spot and the fireplace looks the exact same. Once I find something that works, I stick with it.
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