The "New" Christmas Tradition!

I have been talking a lot about "old" traditions of the holidays and how nostalgic items can make a place feel warm and homey.  The Little Bayou House was decked out in all sorts of antique Christmas decorations and childhood items this year just because at times I need to be reminded of all of the traditions of times past.  Today being Christmas Day, Elizabeth decided it was high time to start a "new" tradition!  Off the top of her head, she proclaimed that we would paint Christmas Octopi!  (Just so everyone will know, octopi is one of the many plurals of octopus along with octopodes, and octopuses!)  Anyway, this new tradition would be recognized each year with a new octopus picture painted by each of us!  I was game!  As storms ripped through the area creating a big mess, she and I created paintings of octopi!  We gathered the canvases, paints and brushes and set to work.  Neither of us had any idea of just what we were going to paint..we just started.  As we painted, we talked..we giggled..we spent a wonderful afternoon and on into the late hours of the night sharing.  Sometime during the late afternoon, we compared pictures and realized that even though the paintings were very similar, they were very different.  Our similarity in styles cannot be denied but each painting had its unique touches.  We both decided that this was definitely something that we would love to continue doing..our tradition had been born.

The Christmas Octopi Paintings!  Mine on top and  Elizabeth's on the bottom!

Once we were finished with the paintings, we exchanged them.  She will take mine home with her and I will hang hers in the Little Bayou House.  These paintings will not go any further.  As our first, we will keep them as cherished mementos and each year, the new Christmas Octopi paintings will be exchanged as gifts between us.   This might seem a tad strange to a lot of folks but to us, it is perfect.  We share something other than a painting..we share a time spent with each other.  Our love grows stronger each day and our collection of Octopi paintings will grow each year.  And we all know that you can never have too many Octopi paintings! New traditions are fun!