Favorite Holiday Traditions
As we continue with Blogmas, I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorite Christmas traditions over the years. Some are from childhood, others from adulthood with friends, and some that I have cultivated myself.
So, in no particular order, here goes!
1.) Making Edible Goodies
Canned, homemade, classic or creative—the important part is to make something loaded with sugar! Some recipes I love are peppermint brownies, spritz cookies, gingerbread bundt cake and festive popcorn.
2.) Pretty Lights
Did anyone else love driving around to see people’s Christmas lights growing up? I used to LOVE driving around with my parents to see all the town Christmas lights in people’s yards as a kid. In fact, I still do!
3.) Tree-ing
Admittedly I have only done this one a few times with an old roommate, but taking a hayride to personally select and chop down our own Christmas tree was one of the best traditions EVER. Selecting, sawing loose and transporting my very own tree was so rewarding. I would love to do this with my family someday.
4.) Homemade Cards
I love to paint my own Christmas cards to give to friends and family. I have been doing this for many years now and it continues to be one of my favorite holiday pastimes!
5.) Christmas Tunes
Who doesn’t love a Christmas karaoke session? From Mariah Carey to Nat King Cole, the Christmas playlist is a must. I also truly LOVE Christmas hymns. I did a post a few years back on why my favorite carol is “Hark the Harold Angels Sing.”
6.) Christmas Flicks
What is it about Christmas movies that makes them so fun? Most of them are pretty corny and have been around for ages, but somehow the holidays don’t feel complete without them. My personal favorite is Home Alone HANDS DOWN—both one and two, followed by The Grinch. What are yours?
7.) Advent Devotionals
Christmas is a great time to reconnect with God and get back to the basics. The holiday season can be absolutely nutty and in many ways harder to connect with God. But advent devotionals are a great tool to revisit the wonder of who God really is and be refreshed in what he is all about. The Daily Grace and She Reads Truth have some great, bite-sized and stunning advent devotional books.
8.) Decking the Halls
I love the look of holly, twinkling lights, tacky yard Christmas getup and the extra-ness of Christmas decor. I especially appreciate Christmas decor from the Victorian and Colonial eras (though I haven’t tried my hand out there yet). On my bucket list is to make a DIY dried orange garland and DIY Christmas potpourri.
9.) Family Christmas Parties
One of the best parts of the holiday season is the annual Christmas party that my dad’s side of the family throws. The headcount is easily up to 50 now, and there are tons of little kids to add to the dynamic energy. Just don’t mention the word limoncello…..
10.) Gingerbread House Fails
I love how creating a gingerbread house is such a multi-sensory experience. The process smells and tastes amazing. One thing I still have not perfected, however, is how to actually build and decorate an entire house before running out of icing. Somehow I always forget to get extra icing!
How About You?
Well, that’s my list of favorite holiday traditions offhand! I would love to hear if you have any more unusual traditions to add to this list or which one of these you also enjoy!