We have been celebrating our Christmas traditions every year since my children were born, almost 26 years ago! Some of our traditions were carried forward from my childhood and others we have added along the way. There is always something special about the anticipation of family traditions during the holidays.
Here are some of our Christmas traditions I wanted to share with you:
1. Each person chooses a new ornament for the tree each year.
2. Decorating the tree together.
3. Decorating the house. Not too many decorations, but just enough to make it feel festive.
4. Playing Christmas music all month long.
5. Baking Christmas cookies. The traditional recipes are sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting, thumbprint cookies with raspberry jam, and peppermint candy cane cookies.
6. Warm apple cider simmering on the stove.
7. Everyone in the kitchen making tamales on Christmas Day for our holiday dinner.
8. Eating panettone Christmas morning.
9. Santa always wraps every stocking stuffer.
10. When the kids were little, we would make homemade reindeer food, and they would sprinkle it on the front lawn on Christmas Eve.
11. We always read The Night Before Christmas, Santa Mouse, and The Polar Express on Christmas Eve. I still enjoy reading these books each year, even if I am only reading them to my husband.
There were years we hid the Christmas pickle ornament, and whoever found it first got a small gift. The Elf on the Shelf moved his way around our house a few years in a row as well.
The most celebrated traditions are the ones that involve food. The kitchen has always been the heart of our home and continues to be that way today. My children are now in their twenties, and they too enjoy the process of cooking and baking. It is such a beautiful gift that we can all participate in making the holidays special no matter where we all are each year.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!
