7 years ago, Audrey and Matt were living and working in New York City. They found this life exciting and exhilarating in… well, you know… the City that never sleeps. Audrey worked for Donna Karan, and with that job came some perks. One such perk were tickets that people had-but-could-not-use-on-any-particular-night-and-therefore-were-given-away. Audrey was the recipient of some of these tickets, and one such little-surprise-set-of-4-tickets were pretty good seats to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
That was Christmas Season 2003.
Barry and I headed into the City on that Friday night in December ’03… and that one evening would begin a family tradition that we have come to cherish. Cherish. As Barry and I enjoyed the Christmas Spectacular, we kept whispering about how the grandchildren would love this magnificent show. Back then, in ’03, we had 3 grandchildren. Taylor was almost 3. Maddie was 2 1/2 and Andrew had just turned 1. Aimee was just this teeny much pregnant with Jake, Audrey and Matt were just beginning to talk about babies, and Janie was finishing up her senior year at Brown University.
Flash forward one year. Christmas 2004. Our entire Rhode Island family headed to join Audrey and Matt in the City for our first family Christmas Spectacular. I had purchased, and monogrammed with names and the year 2004, matching pajamas for our now 5 grandchildren… Jake had arrived in June and William had arrived in September (I guess Audrey and Matt had really been doing more than talking about babies!)…
The family tradition continued in 2005… with the addition of Alexander (Audrey and Matt had been talking again!)…
2006… this year, Audrey’s family had moved from New York City to Rhode Island, so we basically caravaned to the City…
2007, with the addition of Benjamin in April (yes, more talking!)…
2008, with the addition of both Henry in June and Dylan in July (lots of talking)…
2009…
And this year, 2010! The big change this year is that the Christmas Spectacular came to Providence at the Providence Performance Arts Center… ! Still, the Christmas pajamas with each child’s name and the year monogrammed. For wonderful tradition’s sake.
Our family Christmas Spectacular truly begins our Christmas Season each year… and that, my friends, is the meaning of priceless. It all began with 4 little tickets back in 2003!
Is it time for some more talking!?
This is such a wonderful tradition! They’ll remember these for their whole lives – the Spectacular, the experience, the jammies, and the awesome grandparents!
Those pajamas are wonderful – what a great idea! Traditions, especially family ones, are priceless. Your family is beautiful and so, so blessed. I hope this was the beginning of a spectacular holiday season for all of you 🙂
Sharon – I LOVE this! Hope the show was as amazing as you have come to expect. xo
I am in awe of your family tradition. I still have my card you sent me last year sitting on my piano with all of my treasured cards. It will be displayed again this year. I would love to see this show. I love your beautiful family!
I love it!
I look forward to your PJ cards at Christmas, it warms my heart to see all those beautiful little faces. Thanks for sharing : )
I knew that the show was a tradition, but I didn’t know about the pajamas. I love it. I also love that I was lucky enough to receive one of those cards last year. Our traditons for the season start next week when we take the family Christmas card picture on Thanksgiving.
It was a GREAT day as it is each year!!! THANK YOU as always for making every single moment so, so special.
ps…no talking from this COUTO clan!
I love all of your family photos documenting such a great tradition!
Sharon, thank you for putting the smile into my day AND jump-starting my holiday spirit.
Beautiful family!