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In the past eight years or so, I feel like Christmas traditions have changed a lot in our family. From college to marriage to babies there’s been some adapting to accommodate everyone. I thought it would be fun to share what our family does if you’re wanting to add a new tradition in your family and I’d love to hear what you do! I’m wanting to add something else and I’m eager to hear of an idea or two.
- Hellman Christmas: Paul has a blended family, and a pretty large one at that! I love it because holidays can be a little quiet as I have only one sibling. Paul’s parents have 5 children together + 2 daughter-in-laws with marriage and so my mother-in-law is always extremely flexible during the holidays. Thank you, Susan! They have a Hellman Christmas party each year and it’s either on Christmas Eve or the night before. My mother-in-law and Paul’s aunt take turns hosting each year. I’m very excited for it this year because last year I was having the worst contractions during the party. I had prodromal labor before actual labor. After we all eat, we do a white elephant for a gift exchange! I’ve mentioned before but Paul’s grandfather has an incredible margarita recipe and he doesn’t share it. He gives it as one of the white elephant gifts so everyone always steals that. I have yet to win it! 😉
- Christmas Eve Service: If the Hellman Christmas party is the night before Christmas Eve, we always go to Christmas Eve service. This year sadly, I think we have to sit out. Maxi has had a double ear infection for a month from when we were all sick over Thanksgiving. My pediatrician has definitely nixed church nursery for us until spring so she can get over these ear infections. 🙁 Thankfully, we can live stream it at our home! Thank you 2017 technology!
- Christmas Eve Dinner: My Nana makes an incredible Swedish dinner [my dad’s side is Swedish] for Christmas Eve and I wish I could make it! It definitely intimidates me with all the sides. This year I’m making dinner and we also do a birthday cake for Jesus. It was so fun to see my little cousins love the cake and now we will start this tradition with Maxi. We throw on our Christmas pajamas after dinner and this year I’m wearing these pajamas by Draper James. I love that they aren’t “overly” holiday-themed so I can wear them year round. Not that I have any sense of shame to wear Santa jammies in June, but flannel is too hot in Texas. These are lighter! Make sure to check above under the images and see my Draper James discount code for you. After we put on pajamas we read The Christmas Story and head to bed.
- Christmas Breakfast: It was really important for Paul and I that our kids wake up in our home on Christmas, then we can travel to grandparents. We got extremely lucky that both of our families live here so that’s a very easy thing to do! I make this for Christmas morning breakfast and we open stockings and Maxi will have a gift or two from Santa. My parents want to see Maxi open her stocking so they said they would come over in the morning with my sister!
- Christmas Lunch: My mom makes Christmas lunch and we will go over there to exchange gifts and eat! Afterwards we either go look at Christmas lights or go to the movies. In the evening we usually go see Paul’s grandmother. However, this year there is a chance of snow on Christmas! Major deal in Texas, y’all. Major deal! So I bet we cuddle up with hot chocolate and enjoy a Christmas movie or two.
Until then, I’ve got a few more Hallmark movies I need to watch on our DVR and these white chocolate ginger cookies to make! What are some of your holiday traditions?!
Your Nana’s Christmas dinner sounds like the best thing in the world. Wish I had traditions like this! (and very cute PJs as well!) ❤❤
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
My favorite tradition growing up was sleeping in my parents’ room on Christmas Eve (so that we couldn’t sneak out early on Christmas morning to see what Santa had left ????) and then all piling into bed on Christmas morning to read the Christmas story from Luke 2 before going to check out what we got under the tree. I appreciate that my parents kept the real meaning of Christmas at the forefront and can’t wait to do that with my little boy for his first Christmas next year!
This year we are starting a new tradition (w/ our 3 month old baby boy!) that I’m calling Grinch Night. We’re planning to watch How the Grinch stole Christmas (my favorite) in our Christmas pajamas & I’m making grinch popcorn & grinch hot vanilla milk – both are green! I hope it’ll be a fun tradition we can continue through the years! I love hearing what other people do! We always do a Christmas morning breakfast as well. -love your tree by the way!
My favorite tradition growing up was sleeping in my parents’ room on Christmas Eve (so that we couldn’t sneak out early on Christmas morning to see what Santa had left ????) and then all piling into bed on Christmas morning to read the Christmas story from Luke 2 before going to check out what we got under the tree. I appreciate that my parents kept the real meaning of Christmas at the forefront and can’t wait to do that with my little boy for his first Christmas next year!
Awwwe this post put my in the holiday spirit and made me excited for Christmas! We can get so caught up in the last minute hustle and bustle, but this reminded me what it’s all about. Jesus and family! Merry Christmas Katey and the Hellman’s!
Your traditions are so fun! I hope y’all have a Merry Christmas! Two traditions I love that my parents started were going to Starbucks in our pajamas and then all getting in the car to drive around the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights! My brothers and I loved it and we still do it now, even though we are 21, 20 and 18 haha! A second one is my grandparents come to Texas on Christmas Day and they always love watching our home videos of when we were babies/toddlers! I’m so happy we have those old VCR tapes still haha
Christmas Eve my husband and I will open one gift in our Christmas Jammies. We play little game of “hide and seek” and will take turns hiding each others gift in the house and watching each other try to find the gift! We have so much fun with it!
We have a baby boy who is just over two months old but I am already anxious to start some new traditions! We have the same philosophy that we want to be home Christmas morning so for the first time in six years my husband and I will be at our house Christmas morning! We are pretty excited! We got some matching pjs and I plan to make breakfast and open stockings and a couple small things we got for our baby. I love the idea of going to see Christmas lights or just cuddling on the couch with hot chocolate and a movie! Since I have been on maternity leave I have been watching hallmark movies nonstop! Enjoy your Christmas! Babies make the holidays even more magical!
My family has a Christmas Eve party every year, as well! It’s my favorite! <3
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