1. Decorate the Tree and Our House (inside and out)
This one is simple and pretty easy and something we do yearly. Gotta start small, right>
2. Santa Train or the Polar Express Train
Growing up, my parents would always take me on the Santa Train. My mom and I were featured in the local newspaper one year while riding the train. Now that my girls are almost 2, I think they would enjoy this. Plus I haven't been in years.
3. Go Tree Hunting and Find the Perfect Christmas Tree
Every year we try to go out with family and friends to cut down our Christmas tree. It has been a tradition for years and something I want my girls to love as they get older. We even went when I was 7 months pregnant with the girls. That was a tough year.
4. Go Christmas Light Looking
Another tradition growing up, was to go for a car ride and look at Christmas lights. We did this usually twice during the Christmas holidays. My mom would make some hot chocolate and we would drive around admiring all the lights. There is a special house in Reno that does an amazing light show every year and I can't wait to see it this year. They didn't do it last year, so I can't wait to introduce my girls to it this year.
5. Send Out Christmas Cards
I love receiving Christmas cards from our family and friends. I love seeing how much everyone has changed and grown over the year. And I also love sending our own card out. I search through our family photos for the perfect one and then I always make a card. I have used Minted, Tiny Prints, Simply to Impress and more. They always have great sales around Thanksgiving and this year was no different. Our Christmas cards should be sent out very soon!
6. Get Santa Photos Taken
Last year was the first year that we participated in Santa photos since I was a child and I love how they came out. We are getting Santa photos taken this year and I hope to get a few of them if my girls don't freak out. But those photos are just as fun as the sweet ones.
7. Elf on the Shelf
My in-laws got the girls an Elf on the Shelf last year and I want to bring it out this year. I know I can't do it daily, but hoping for a few times a week.
8. New PJs on Christmas Eve
This is another tradition I see a lot in the blogland and something I would love to participate in. We have one set of Christmas pjs for the girls and then another more wintery set. I am on the search for another set for the girls to open and wear on Christmas Eve.
9. Watch as Many Christmas Movies as I Can
I love Christmas movies and I have several saved to my DVR. I can't wait to start watching them and having my girls watch them too. I really hope my girls love The Christmas Story since I binge watch it every Christmas Eve. And I hope they love Christmas Vacation when they get older.
10. New Christmas Ornaments
Every year my mom and dad would get us a new Christmas ornament. Sometimes we picked our own out and sometimes we were surprised with them. We did this last year with the girls and I am on the search for one for the girls this year.
Over the years, I have collected so many ornaments that I can't fit them on all on our tree. But I do take them all out every year and admire them. I cycle through them yearly, but always have certain ones that must go on the tree yearly.
11. Christmas Eve Party
My parents best friends host a Christmas Eve party every year. It is soooo much fun. They make homemade egg nog (spiced up and non), his amazing chili, homemade clam chowder, so many appetizers, desserts and a ton of alcohol.
They moved since last year's party and I really hope the girls are good and can stay up late so we can go to the party. Fingers crossed. It is a tradition that I hate to miss.
12. Advent Calendar
Growing up, my mom would get us a chocolate advent calendar every year and then we had one where you move the mouse each day. My sister and I would always fight over who got to move the mouse. This year my mom got us an advent calendar since I never got one for myself. I can't wait to move the snowflake each day. And I am still on the search for a really good chocolate calendar. If you know of one (preferably dark chocolate), let me know.
This is the one we grew up with.
13. Homemade Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas Morning
Another tradition we had growing up was eating homemade cinnamon roll for breakfast on Christmas morning. Every Christmas Eve, we would help my mom make the dough and filling for cinnamon rolls and then roll them out and let them rise.
I have continued on this tradition and have made them several times for my office at Christmas time and for our family Christmases. But you know how it goes, no one's is as good as moms. That is why last year, my sweet mom made us a batch of them and I am hoping she will do it again. Otherwise, I will take a stab at it again. And I will post the recipe. It is simple, but heavenly.
14. Host Christmas Dinner
We have been hosting Christmas dinner for many years now. We even hosted it when I was about to pop (4 days later). I may have sat in a chair while everyone cooked and cleaned, but we had it at our house. This year will be no different. We are hosting Christmas dinner and hoping it goes off without a hitch.
Great Christmas bucket list. You can totally accomplish all of those and the girls will love it.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a great list! I need to get my cards addressed--I've been dragging my feet on that
ReplyDeleteThe closest Polar Express train is OVER an hour away from us. I think we will eventually do it when the boys are a bit older & make a little overnight out of it. What is the difference between the Santa train & the Polar Express?
ReplyDeleteSuch an awesome list! I want to do Polar Express, but I'm waiting till next year when hopefully Ben is less afraid of Santa haha. Ours is so expensive. We got elf on the shelf too but Ben still doesn't totally get it. He liked the elf though lol. Have fun this month!
ReplyDeletePS - we had that same calendar growing up and moving the mouse was my fav thing to do. I just did it with Ben at my parents house this weekend. Second, I LOVE your hair. Saw it in an IG story and you look lovely!
ReplyDeleteI love everything you do this time of year! I would love to host Christmas but I don't know when that will happen since everyone already has what they do in place. That's so sweet your Mom got you an advent calendar, now there won't be any fighting on who can move it until the girls are a little bigger, ha ha. I LOVE Christmas Vacation and I think maybe I can show it to Brayden this year, and just cover his ears when they swear haha
ReplyDeleteSo many great things to look forward to this season! I know what you mean about the difficulty in getting things done, toddlers are rough! We're doing a Santa train ride this weekend and now you have me wanting yummy warm cinnamon rolls! Beautifully Candid
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great list! Our elf on the shelf brought Christmas jams for the girls on December 1st and then I found purple pajamas at old navy that have deer on them - perfect for the rest of winter! They'll open those on Christmas Eve!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list!! I would love to host a Christmas Eve party. My uncle use to host one for years. Always so much fun! Sadly, I have to work on Christmas Eve. Story of my life, always working.
ReplyDeleteSo much fun stuff to do. When you have kids, its great to do all that - not having kids, my goal? Survive the holidays ;) haha
ReplyDeleteAn ornament every year was always a tradition in my family too! And Christmas Eve PJs is a tradition in Michael's that I know we'll carry on with our future kids. :)
ReplyDeleteA Santa train? How fun! We used to have one of those here, but they stopped doing it. Jacob would flip! The girls are going to love it!
ReplyDeleteTree hunting is one of my favorite traditions hands down, and yesss to all the Christmas movies and specials :-D
ReplyDeleteGreen Fashionista
oh my gosh, i seriously almost cried at the picture of the advent calendar that you grew up with. I grew up with that one too, and it brought back so many memories!! your Christmas season sounds like it's going to be fantastic!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like so many people grew up with the same one. I love that. I loved moving the mouse each day....well every other day because of my sister. I really hope the Christmas season is fantastic and gives my girls traditions to follow.
DeleteI love the idea of cinnamon rolls Christmas morning! Do share the recipe please!
ReplyDeleteI have a Winter Bucket List, with a couple movies that I need to watch on it, as well as looking at Christmas lights!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
I so want to start the tradition of making cinnamon rolls, but I never have. I've been looking for recipes but haven't found one yet!
ReplyDeleteI will post one very soon then so you can try my moms out. They are soooo good!
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