{christmas traditions}

 

Christmas traditions are what make the Holiday season magical.  Everyone I know has something they do each Christmas.  Whether it’s opening 1 gift Christmas Eve.  Reading The Night Before Christmas at bedtime.  Baking something extra sweet for Santa.

Here are some of our favorite traditions including a few new ones we’re adding to our list…..

* Christmas Pajamas // for the whole fam bam if you can get them on board

* Winters Tractor Parade // this year we checked out the tractor parade for the first time.  It’s pretty cute!

* Elf on the Shelf // this is purely for bribery!  Last year I did weekly Elf On The Damn Shelf ideas…remember that?

* Caroling at GG’s // our whole (very large….23 great grand kids large) family goes to GG’s house and sing Christmas carols at the top of our lungs.  I made Christmas Carol books that we’ve used each year.  You can print one from this blog post: {christmas caroling}

* The Night Before Christmas // reading this book at bedtime Christmas Eve.  This one is our favorite: The Night Before Christmas

* Christmas Ornament // I started the Hallmark Mary’s Angel collection for Bailey years ago.  Each year Hallmark releases a new Angel.  We’ve got quite the collection and Bay cherishes them!  Mary’s Angels Allium

* Home Alone // watching our favorite Christmas movie on repeat.  I have it saved on our DVR so we tend to watch it year round.  What’s your top Christmas movie?  Oh and by the way, Die Hard is NOT a Christmas movie….if you ask me.  Cory will disagree.

* The Pickle Ornament // hiding the pickle on the Christmas tree Christmas Eve.  Who ever finds it gets a special gift.  And rumor has it, whoever finds the pickle, will have 1 year of good luck!  The Christmas Pickle

* Gram’s Christmas Breakfast // my Mom has made the same Christmas morning breakfast for as long as I can remember.  With a mimosa in hand, there is no better breakfast!

* Hang Mistletoe // it’s felt, but it does the trick.  And trick everyone that comes over into walking under it.  It’s on sale for $3 too: Felt Mistletoe

* Christmas Tree Hunt // this year we cut down a tree in the Eldorado National Forrest.  Trekking through the snow searching for the perfect tree was such a good time, we vowed to do it every year.  And the trees are $10…can’t beat that.  You can read more about it here: {weekend notes}

* Letters To Santa // this is the second year we haven’t hosted this fun night.  Unfortunately kids grow out of traditions that were started when they were little kids.  I miss it though.  I went back to the archives and found photos from 2016: {weekend notes} + 2015: {weekend notes}  Be still my heart ♥

* Adopt a Family // provide gifts + food for a family in need.

* Set Shoes Out // on December 5th you set your shoes out on the front porch and St Nick fills them with candy.  I 100% forgot this year…Ha!

* Ice Skating // we love the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink It’s open till January 21st, so it’s a fun activity when kids are out of school for the 396 days for Christmas Break.

* Camp Out // sleep in the living room with the Christmas Tree lights on all night long.

* Favorite Things Exchange //  my girlfriends and I have been doing a fave things for years and it’s so fun.  Here are some posts from the archives: 2018 {weekend notes} // 2017 {weekend notes} // 2016 {weekend notes}

* Downtown Tree Lighting // and carriage rides.  Bay 2017: {friday 5}

* The Nutcracker // another tradition that Bay sadly outgrew.  Or maybe I’m not all that sad about it.  Ha.  It’s fun, but kinda boring too.

* Dickens In The Valley Holiday Home Tour // not only do you get to walk through beautifully decorated homes in Woodland, but this event supports Meals on Wheels.

* Fab 40’s Christmas Lights + Rick’s Desserts // we’ve been doing this since Bay was a little one.  Last year I booked the carriage ride through the Fab 40’s for Bay and her friends, which I highly recommend. {weekend notes}

* Baklava Making // the Corbett beauties invited me to join their baking tradition 3 years ago.  We sip bubbles and make this decadent dessert. 2017:  {weekend notes}

* Trip to SF // San Francisco is absolutely gorgeous this time of year.  It’s also crazy busy.  We went last weekend: {weekend notes} Top spot to check out: Fairmont Gingerbread House // Union Square (make sure your tetanus is up to date) // Happy Hour at Top of the Mark // the beach, always the beach Ocean Beach

* Advent Calendar // Sarah and I made these wooden trees years ago: {holiday, celebrate} and I still buy the 99 cent candy filled advent calendar each year too.  Bay popped each compartment open and ate all the candy before December 15th…lol.

* Timothy Girls Manicures // Christmas Eve morning we all meet for nails + champagne.  The nail salon opens an hour early for us and we sip while we get pampered.  Then we do hands-down the BEST group picture….staff included!  Here’s 2016: {weekend notes}

* Christmas Dinner with the Truitt’s // staring with a bottle of bubbles in the afternoon.  This year we’re doing it the weekend before.

* Santa Treats // setting out cookies + a big ol glass of red wine to warm up Santa’s belly Christmas Eve.  I used to tell Bay, he brought her more gifts for the wine 🙂

* Christmas Eve with the Timothy’s // every Christmas Eve we all gather for dinner + lots of drinks.  And a white elephant gift exchange.  Santa makes a stop too!

* Christmas Lights // grab a hot chocolate and drive around admiring everyone’s outdoor lights.  This year, new to us, we are picking 2 houses we love the most and leaving them a special treat.  We look for peeps with tasteful lights and minimal yard tchotchkes…lol.  A tin of butter cookies (under $3 at walmart) with a sweet note attached: Thank you for making our neighborhood a little brighter.  Your festive decor brings so much joy!  Free printable below……

 

If you’d like to add this to your Christmas Tradition, all you have to do is Click + print 🙂 I found this printbale on Nesting with Grace

 

What are some of your Christmas Traditions?

xoxo stacyb