Motherhood- Traditions

Creating traditions for my children was very important to me.  Christmas at home didn't exactly turn out like I had planned.  Due to circumstances beyond our control, we found ourselves traveling back to North Augusta, SC each year for Christmas.  It all started because we wanted to help our children's Great-Grandmother through a difficult time after having lost both her son and husband.  We thought having three small children around would make the holidays a little brighter.  It did, and when she said she looked forward to it the next year...well, a tradition was set in motion.
Upon arriving in North Augusta and getting settled in, I noticed Amanda and Foster were very upset.  Upon further questioning I discovered they were concerned Santa Clause wouldn't know how to find them since they weren't in their own home. 
"Well, we will just have to send him a letter on the North wind and let him know where we are!" was my response.  We sat at the kitchen table and began composing their Christmas list.  Each carefully dictated their wishes and as I read what they had said, they giggled with glee.  "But Mama, what is the North wind?"
We walked to the fireplace, balled up the list and tossed it in.  Within moments the ashes of the paper were carried upward on the updraft of the chimney.  The children were in awe.
Later that day, we decorated sugar cookies (which would be left for Santa on Christmas Eve) and prepared the reindeer food. (Everyone knows reindeer need to have something special like Cheerios to munch on.)
On Christmas morning the children arose and ran into our bedroom.  Mama, Daddy...is it time to get up?????
As all in the house arose, the children stared with mouths opened and eyes as wide as saucers for there on the kitchen table was the letter  they had written and sent to Santa.  It was stained and burnt around the edges...but it was their list alright...and it...it was signed by SANTA!
Year after year this same event happened.  Christmas lists were written, sent up the chimney on the updraft only to reappear on the kitchen table the next morning.
It wasn't until the children were grown they finally discovered the magic behind their Santa letters....I would secretly switch out the paper.  Each time I would throw a blank piece of paper in the fireplace.  Once I was sure the children were asleep, I pulled out the list they had made, then stained the paper with tea bags and slowly burned the edges of the paper.  I would have their Granddad sign the a note from "Santa" to seal the deal. 
 Would I go back and change anything?  No.  While traditions were not created in our own home, the traditions that were created were as meaningful and wonderful as any I could have imagined.  I think the secret is simply to create something special no matter where you are, for it is not the where you are or the what you get...it is the who you are with and what you do with the time you are with them that counts!