You know how we have a few strange holiday traditions? Well, we have the hanging monkey tradition too.
Each year the boys get a “hanging animal” in their stockings from my mother. You know, the ones with the velcro hands and feet so they can hang from stuff. Why do they get them? Good question.
So the tradition began…
My mom and dad took all the boys to the zoo…well, a lot of years ago. We were standing there at the zoo, when some kid beside us starting having a melt down. You know the one. When the parents have kept a kid out way WAY past the time the kid should have been home napping. A vendor was selling these hanging animals. The little kid was crying that he wanted a hanging monkey. “I want a hanging monkey!” The mom replies. “No, you can’t have one.” Little kid whines and stamps his foot. “I WANT a hanging monkey.” On and on and on.
One of MY boys piped up to my mom…”Can I have a hanging monkey?” I shot him my best “mom look”. The next boy piped up. “I want a hanging monkey too.” One more mom look hoping to squelch my boys in their tracks. The next boy “I WANT a hanging MONKEY.” By then I catch on that they are pulling my leg and they’re all laughing at me, trying to see how long it will take me to catch on. We went through the ENTIRE zoo with my crazy boys :crazy2: saying “I want a hanging monkey!!” at every turn. 
Emphasis on a different word in the phrase each time. My mom just laughed along with them, asked for a hanging monkey a few times herself 
and a good day was had by all.
The next Christmas?? the boys all had hanging monkeys in their stockings. Ever since then, mom has found some kind of hanging animal to put in their stockings. Then it degenerated to the UGLIEST hanging animal she can find. One year we went as far as calling them hanging uglies! As you can see they have quite a collection. As a bonus, as you can see by the hanging COWS on the wall…some of the hanging animals have magnets in their hands and feet and the boys can hang them on the metal drywall corners around the house…
Oh, and the Camp Ozark tshirts? Another post for another day…
So I don’t know what you guys are getting for Christmas, but rest assured that my boys will be getting hanging monkeys!
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I LOVE IT!!!!! I WANT A HANGING MONKEY! Oh. And a magnetic cow. THAT IS SO COOOOOL!!!!!
I love family traditions, no matter how quirky they may be. You have such handsome boys. How do you handle all that testosterone? I’ll bet holidays are more fun than…well, a barrel of monkeys! Awww c’mon. You had to see that one coming
What a cute tradition! We used to have a hanging monkey named Tootie. He was given to my husband when he was in the hospital following his car accident. My older son clung to Tootie when we moved from SC to VA. Alas, I don’t know what happened to that dear monkey.
My boys get Santas at Christmas, and so will my granddaughter.
I want a hanging monkey tooooooooo!
Great post! LOVE IT!
That is so funny!
My kids (23 and 20) want sour punch straws for Christmas and not just one package. No! They want a large box of them from Sam’s Club. If I don’t buy them, I hear about it.
Family traditions are so wonderful!
I just love a good tradition.
How awesome of a tradition is that? Love it!
I think that’s hilarious.
I want a hanging critter!!!!!!! :cursing:
That’s a lot of hanging monkeys, LOL.