One of the many great things about being a new parent is deciding what traditions to make or to keep for the holidays.

As a kid, we would usually cut down our own Christmas tree from the woods behind our house with our Dad. It was always fun to pick out the best tree and bring it back to the house where we’d have to wait for the snow to melt off of the branches. One Christmas, after we’d cut down our tree and were on our way home, Dad decided to cut down this tiny sad little tree to fool our Mom. We’re talking 3′ tall, maybe a total of four or five branches - think the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. It was pathetic, and we still talk about that tree when we all get together.

I don’t think we’ll be cutting down our own tree, but we’ll still have a real tree. My wife loves picking out the best Christmas tree, so I’ll leave this to her. We usually just relax on Christmas Eve, wrapping a few last-minute gifts and drinking eggnog and eating cookies we’ve made as gifts for our families. We usually end the night by watching “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I know this might seem cliche, but it makes us appreciate our lives and our families, and we find it to be the perfect movie to get us ready for Christmas morning. Two years ago we had the pleasure of meeting Karolyn Grimes, the actress who played Zuzu (the “every time the bell rings” girl). It seems she tours the country and She was incredibly friendly, and we got a signed picture that we hang up every Christmas.

As a kid we always would leave cookies, milk, and carrots for Santa, and every Christmas morning they would be gone. I can’t wait to do this with the E-man. We would also open one gift on Christmas Eve. I think we’ll keep this tradition as well.

Unlike my family, my wife’s family was always big into stockings. She would get oranges and nuts in her stocking, along with some stuffers that tended to be more functional stuff. I think this is something she’ll want to keep as well.

On Christmas morning, both my wife and I would wake up insanely early. Luckily we both had parents who were eager for the morning to start, and often by 6am we would all be out in the living room tearing open packages. I’m can’t wait to hear the E-man’s little feet plodding into our room to wake us up on Christmas morning!