Christmas Traditions: Old and New
One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the traditions. Almost everyone I know has at least one Christmas tradition and they just light up when they talk about them. There’s a sweet nostalgia that comes with doing the same cozy thing with the same loved ones every year. Traditions have this uncanny ability to take you back to childhood memories, while also keeping you fully present in the moment. Even when traditions change with new family members or the loss of others, they have a way of keeping everyone focused on what’s really important.
Some of my favorite traditions include:
Decorating the Christmas tree with my dad and sister to the Clint Black Christmas album while my mom makes homemade Christmas cookies.
Christmas caroling with our church
Reading Alabaster’s Song and Jacob’s Gift for bedtime stories
Baking our favorite Christmas cookies with my mom and sister
Evenings spend sipping tea or hot cocoa and admiring the lights on the Christmas tree
Waking up on Christmas morning and opening our stockings, then singing Happy Birthday to Jesus with a little cake (or banana bread, coffee cake, what have you).
When Elliot and I first started dating, I loved sharing all of my favorite Christmas traditions with him. Christmas was so special to me and I wanted to share all of the best parts with him. He spent Christmas morning with my family, waking up to gifts under the tree and stockings and Christmas breakfast, and I spent Christmas Eve with his family, enjoying a meal and opening gifts. After quite a few Christmases together, there are some traditions that we treasure from our own families, and there are some new ones that we’ve created together.
This past week, our new stockings arrived, with the addition of one for our little guy. They’re hung on our mantle and it’s so exciting to think of this new little person that I get to share all of my favorite Christmas traditions with.
As the birth of our son is getting closer and closer, we have been talking about Christmas traditions we’d like to start (or continue) with him. As we navigate the holidays as parents, it’s a given that things won’t look exactly the same as they have before, and that’s okay. I’m excited to add a few new traditions into the mix.
One new tradition we’d like to start is a small gift on Christmas Eve. I like the idea of new Christmas pajamas for Christmas morning or a Christmas movie. Elliot suggested a book or two, and naturally I love that idea as well. Another tradition I’d like to start is taking him out to see Santa when the fire department brings the sleigh through our neighborhood. It’s always a fun evening when Santa makes a stop right on your street to wave and say hi.
I’m always looking for new ways to celebrate the Christmas season - especially with a new baby!
What are your family’s Christmas traditions? Share them below in the comments!