Day 19 Under the tree

During Christmas week of 1993, Grandpa Joe had a stroke. Suddenly the long standing tradition of the Pitney Christmas Eve was in danger. Grandma Jane could not have it with him sick.

The new tradition of Christmas Eve at Dave and Jills was born. From 1993 until 2005 we had between 35 and 50 people at our house from 500 till sometimes as late as 100 am. (During that time we went to the community center in Vaughnsville once and Columbus Grove another time.) We have many good, okay and BAD memories of this tradition including one of a child pooping on one of the boys bed. That however is a whole other post. The invite list included Jane and her brothers, their wives and children and their spouses and kids.

The reason for all this long story? It tells why with the exception of the Santa Workshop presents, we do not put presents under the tree. We always had a gift exchange with the Pitney visit. It started out as buying for every kid and an adult per adult. It was down sized at the end to each kid bought for each kid. The last year we did not buy at all.

Sadly with our moving to Brookville and Jane's illnesses, the tradition of the Pitney holiday has gone away. I know they were a lot of work but they gave us all a sense of extended family and a time to be together.