Christmas is just around the corner and it always gets me feeling a little nostalgic. Between the holiday music that I remember playing in my grandparent’s home, to the homemade ravioli we eat every year, some things never change. And I like it that way. Every family has their own Christmas and holiday traditions and that’s what makes it so fun. I love hearing about other people’s traditions and memories.
Favorite Christmas Tradition
When I think of our family Christmas tradition, I think of Christmas morning and how routine it is each and every year. Our mornings are always pretty much the same in our house when it comes to Christmas. We start with opening presents, always taking turns. None of this madness of opening up whatever is addressed to you. I remember being at an old boyfriend’s house for Christmas one morning. Everyone opened presents all at the same time. No one knew who got what and it was over within 3 minutes. I was baffled by it. In our house, we have a system. We take turns, we all watch, talk about it, and of course dispose of our trash into piles. Family might be a little anal, let’s be honest. But it’s how our mornings go.
After presents, it’s the same breakfast every single year. Our family is more into a savory breakfast with eggs, potatoes and sausage. Don’t get me wrong, I love this challah french toast my Mom makes. But Christmas morning is for sausage and eggs, always! Dad flips the eggs, mom makes the best breakfast potatoes, and we set the table while it all cooks and fills the house with the most delicious smells.
Once breakfast is over, it’s onto stockings. I remember as a little kid we had stockings that were bigger than we were. They were SO tall and just packed with candy, toys and god knows what else. Now that we’re older, they’re much smaller and mostly filled with gift cards and new sponges for the year. And of course, the dogs now have their own and it’s always a hit.
Our holiday traditions just feel so normal to us. To you, they may sound crazy or weird. Eggs for Christmas? Taking turns? That’s what makes traditions so fun and unique. Everyone has them and they’re all unique and special in their own little ways.
Chistmas Traditions To Start For Your Family
While you may have your own family traditions, adding new ones can also be fun! Here are a few fun traditions you can try for the holidays to make memories year after year. And it only takes TWO years to make something a tradition. A fun little fact that makes this feel easier to accomplish and start implementing memorable traditions into your life. Whether you’re single or have a big family, these are things you can do to make the holidays feel more special.
Decorate The Christmas Tree
Sure decorating the tree is something we do every year to deck the halls and prepare our homes for a festive season. But making it more of a fun tradition with music, and maybe a holiday cocktail, or hot chocolate, can be a fun way to turn this task into a tradition. I always turn on the Christmas music even if it’s just me putting up my tree solo. It feels so much more festive!
Sending Christmas Cards
My mom usually handwrites all her holiday cards and I have vivid memories of her taking over our dining room table to write them all out. This is a great way to stay connected with friends and families through some snail mail. Plus, they make it so easy now with mass printing and sending. But I have to be honest, I personally prefer a handwritten holiday card over a photo one any day.
Gingerbread House Making
I’ve always wanted to host a gingerbread house decorating night. I think this is such a creative and fun way to make memories with family members and friends too. Plus, everyone goes home with something delicious to eat!
Elf On The Shelf
Now that many of my friends have kids, I know Elf On the Shelf is a new tradition. It’s a good way for kids to be reminded to behave so Santa can make sure they’ve been good all year! I’ve seen some creative ways to get Elf involved in your family and it always blows my mind.
Christmas Movie Traditions
I’m not a big Christmas movie person, but I live for Home Alone. Some people love to indulge in all the holiday movies and you can even make a night of it. Invite your friends over for a little hot chocolate bar, a gift swap or just wear your cozy holiday pajamas and enjoy some movies.
Matching Holiday Pajamas
So many cute holiday pajamas are out there that this can be a fun tradition to have the whole family in matching pjs. You can even gift them on Christmas Eve so everyone has them for the night.
See A Holiday Show
There’s a few great holiday shows you can see in person. The Nutcracker of course is a classic. I know it’s not for everyone (as in I’m not into it) but it’s truly a classic. It’s the perfect excuse to get dressed up and head to the theatre. The Grinch is also a fun musical to see. And if you’re in New York City, you can’t go wrong with The Rockettes.
A Special Recipe
We clearly have a tradition with food for our holiday celebrations. If you change it up every year, that can make it harder to feel like you’re celebrating a tradition. We look forward to those meals each year and it’s what makes the holidays so special to our family. Try sticking to one specific recipe for the holidays to help make it feel more like a tradition. It can be eas simple as a special cookie or dessert, or a special cocktail like egg nog. No matter if you choose a full meal to make each and every year, or just one aspect of it, this will help make your holidays feel like a memorable tradition to look forward to each and every year.
Photo by Hannah Lozano
