Are you looking to start your own Christmas Traditions this year?
I love Christmas time. It really is my favorite time of the year. It is a time to celebrate the birth of our beloved Savoir. It is also a time for Family, serving, and fun. For me, the magic of Christmas isn’t the presents we receive on Christmas morning. No, for me the magic of Christmas is found in the traditions we have inherited and started for our family.
When my husband and I first got married we each had favorite Christmas traditions that we grew up with which we wanted to continue with our family. Over the years we have also created a few of our own. Some of these new traditions were easy to start and others not so much. For example, I love to bake (especially at Christmas time) and I decided I wanted to start the tradition of making Gingerbread Houses as a family during the Christmas season. Throughout the years we have made extravagant Gingerbread houses (like when we did one for a local competition.) and other years our houses were on the simple side (like when we decorated them with our young kids.).
One tradition that was harder to start but much needed was our quiet Family Christmas Eve. You see both my family and my husband’s family have a tradition to get together for Christmas Eve. While these gatherings were fun, we found that we needed a change. First of all both families wanted us to attend. This caused a bit of strife for whichever family we didn’t choose. Another drawback was that while these gatherings were fun and filled with family, by the time we got back from them it was often late and the kids were wired. It would take forever to get our kids calm and in bed and then I would be up until the early hours of the morning getting everything ready for Christmas morning. The worst part was driving those icy roads late at night.
The year we almost got in an accident twice coming home from one of these Christmas eve parties my husband said enough is enough. We talked a lot about it over the following year and when both sets of parents asked whos family we would be spending Christmas Eve with we told them neither. That from now on Christmas Eve would be reserved for just our small family. Neither set of parents was happy about it but both finally understood. From that year on, our new Family Christmas Tradition would be to have a special family dinner, followed by opening our Christmas Eve Presents which consist of Christmas Eve Pajamas, and a family present which is normally a Christmas movie and treats like popcorn and hot cocoa to enjoy that night before going to bed at 8:30. (which allowed me to get everything set up for Christmas morning by 10:30 allowing for a good night sleep.)
If you are thinking of starting new Christmas Traditions this year but need a bit of inspiration here are some of my family’s Favorites:
Creating Christmas Decorations. This has been a new tradition since getting my Cricut. Last year we did a fun DIY Harry Potter themed Christmas. Check it out –>HERE<–
Decorating for Christmas. I like to decorate the day after Thanksgiving (which is the earliest my husband will allow) however it often happens sometime in the week following Thanksgiving. We like to listen to our favorite Christmas Music while decorating then enjoy some yummy hot cocoa when we are finished.
Making and Decorating Christmas Goodies. At Christmas, we go a little crazy at my house. I make my great grandmothers melt in your mouth
caramels, Toffee, Fudge, Truffles, sweetbreads and of course cookies (like my favorite soft gingerbread cookies –>HERE<–) I will work on getting more of my favorite recipes up soon!
Reading the Christmas Stories. I love to collect Christmas stories to read to my kids throughout the Christmas season. We normally end with reading the official Christmas Story in Luke 2 as a family on Christmas Eve.
Making Gingerbread Houses. If you want tips for making gingerbread houses from scratch check out my post –>HERE<–
Going to see the Christmas Lights as a family. We love driving downtown to see the pretty professional lights as well as driving through local neighborhoods. As we do this the kids love to do a Christmas Scavenger Hunt. You can get a Free Christmas Scavenger Hunt Printable –>HERE<–
Creating & Giving Christmas Care Packages to the Homeless in our city. We started this a few years ago after my husband lost his job just before Christmas and my kids wanted to serve those who didn’t have as much as we did.
Service Elves/Angels. This is a fun tradition to focus on serving each other in preparation for the Christmas Child. You can learn more about it and get the free Printables –>HERE<–.
Watching Christmas Movies as a Family. Throughout Christmas Season, I love to watch Christmas movies with the family. Some favorites are White Christmas, Miricle on 34th street, Elf & It’s a Wonderful Life. However, I am a softie for those romantic Christmas movies from Hallmark, Lifetime & Netflix.
Evening Hot Cocoa in front of the Tree. This is a special tradition for my husband and me. We love turning off the main room lights to just enjoy the sparkle of the twinkling Christmas tree lights glowing through the room as we sip our favorite hot cocoa. This is our special time of the night after the kids are asleep.
Quiet Family Christmas Eve. Like I said this is our special night. We start our evening with a special Dinner. Followed by opening our Christmas Eve presents which include a special set of pajamas for each family member as well as a family gift which includes a Christmas eve Movie & treats. Then we read the Christmas story before sending the kids off to bed.
Stocking Stuffers. While certain stocking stuffer items change from year to year we do have traditions about certain things we always include. My husband insists on Christmas Cereal. (Aka giving each person their favorite box of cereal to enjoy Christmas morning for breakfast.) And I install upon always including some nuts and fresh fruit in each stocking as well as a few yummy treats like when I was a kid.
I am always on the lookout for some new Christmas Traditions to share as a family. Anything that helps us focus on Family, on Christ on serving others. With that said…What are your favorite Family Traditions you do or want to start doing with your family?
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