A holiday tradition for the Wright family

Yes, my wife has decorated our tree before Thanksgiving.  For us the holiday season is all about special traditions in our family.  We have always put the tree with the lights up for our Thanksgiving meal and then put the decorations on after Thanksgiving.

This year for the first time in a few years we are home for Thanksgiving and going to Detroit for Christmas.  Stephanie wanted to put the tree up early so we could enjoy it before going out of town for the holidays.  So, early mornings and evenings I have been enjoying sitting in our family room  with the fire going and the tree lights on, enjoying a cup of coffee or tea with my pets.

I am at a season in my life where it is simply good to stop, sit still, take in the moments and really experience them.  The other morning I was looking at our tree and admiring all the ornaments on it.  As I looked at each ornament I was reminded of the story behind each of them.  In fact, all of our ornaments have a story and mark precious memories for the family.

As long as I can remember in our almost 31 years of marriage, Stephanie has always had me to hang the rocking horse on the tree as the first ornament placed on the tree. I have always loved rocking horses on the tree.  This one we purchased our first year of marriage and was put on our first tree and every tree since then.    It always marked the beginning of our decorating the tree.  This year like all others, Stephanie gave me the horse and asked me to put it on the tree.  It brought back a flood of wonderful memories of Christmas from years ago up to the present.  All those memories sparked by just one little simple rocking horse.

I am so thankful this year for so many things; my precious wife, my sons, my daughter-in-law, and my grandson.  I am thankful for being 5 years on this side of Stephanie's breast cancer diagnosis.  I am thankful how good the Lord has been to Stephanie and our family.  I am thankful for a new grandbaby boy on the way.  My heart is just simply so full.

So this week as you join together with your family to enjoy Thanksgiving or if you are like our family enjoying Thanksgiving with your eye already on the Christmas season, take time to pause and reflect on those memories and traditions of the holidays for your family.  You might find yourself like me with your mind flooded with wonderful memories sparked by something as simple as a rocking horse.




.