Twinkling lights, velvet ribbons adorning lit trees, hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, and the most haunting and lovely hymns - Christmastime is simply the best! As a mom of two, soon-to-be three, little girls, I love all the extra traditions that make this time of year even more special.
Traditions have a way of making even the most simple cup of hot chocolate feel meaningful, and they give you anchors to return to every year.
Read on for a few ideas of fun family traditions you can implement or tweak to bring your family some extra loveliness this year!
- Christmas jammies
This is one of my favorite traditions! We buy our girls matching Christmas pajamas and let them wear their jammies on Thanksgiving night. The next morning we take a photo shoot with their sleepy faces, and start our Christmas season off! Watching the girls grow and change each year is so sweet! We’ve passed Thanksgiving this year, but if you want to implement this tradition, you can do it any night that feels special to you!
- Celebrate the first snow
If you live in an area that gets snow, you know there’s nothing quite like that first gorgeous dusting. Create a tradition around the first snow to make it even more special! We like to bake cookies together. You could also celebrate with large mugs of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, or read a Christmas story by the window.
- Look at Christmas lights
Drive around and find the neighborhoods with the most lights! If you have little kids you could make their night by getting them ready for bed as usual, but then sticking them in the car instead of bed. Fill up sippy cups with chocolate milk and travel mugs with coffee, and enjoy the adventure of staying up late to look at lights!
- Themed friend parties
Grab your friends for a themed party each year. Host a gingerbread house decorating contest or have everyone bring cookies to swap. You can even do a taste testing of different hot chocolates! Parties don’t need to cost a lot to be fun. The main thing is to just spend time with those you love in the midst of a busy season!
- Serve others
Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Savior. What better way to honor Him than by giving to and serving others? Share His love and light with neighbors by leaving baked goods with written prayers attached on their doorstep. Make cards for shut-ins. Sing Christmas hymns at nursing homes. Volunteer at shelters. Made a tradition of making a difference in others’ lives!
- Leave a note in your stockings
After all the gifts have been opened, and Christmas comes to a close, leave a little note in each stocking before packing them up. Your family could write a special memory from the year or they could write a prayer for the next year on a piece of paper before slipping it into their stocking. When you get your stockings out next season, you’ll have something lovely to reminisce on from the past Christmas.
These are just a few ideas to implement, but I know you all have some more amazing ideas of Christmas traditions that have sparked joy in your family! Leave a comment below or on our Instagram page about some of your favorite Christmas traditions that you do or that you’re excited to start doing!
