Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love the holiday spirit and getting together with my family. For a lot of people, this Christmas will be the first they spend with their family since the pandemic first hit back in 2020. My family and I do a lot together over the holidays and it makes them so memorable each year. Here are some of my favorite family traditions over the holidays!
Decorating the Tree
This may seem like a basic tradition, but my family loves this the most. I cannot remember a year where we did not schedule a time so that we could all do this as a family. Champagne is poured for everyone and we blast Christmas music through the house as we dig through the endless pile of ornaments and decorate the tree. Decorating the tree brings up a lot of memories for my family. We have every ornament my family has ever collected saved. From the ones my brother and I made in kindergarten, to the ones my mother makes us hold with two hands, putting up ornaments is a yearly stroll down memory lane for my family.
Christmas Morning Brunch
My family is a huge brunch family. Eating before noon is not a common occurrence. We take our time after opening presents to wake up and head into the kitchen. Every year we cook the same thing: coffee cake and quiche. We play Michael Buble and pour our efforts into making a small but filling breakfast for the family. Once we’re finished, we devour the coffee cake and quiches while drinking champagne and laughing about the gag gifts planted that Christmas. My family has never been the get up and go type on Christmas. It’s a day of pjs, a lit fireplace, and relaxing with good food.
Family White Elephant
Before the pandemic, there was one family event that was always memorable and full of hysterical laughter each Christmas. The extended family White Elephant party. Every person would bring a nice gift, but also pair it with the ugliest thing they could find in their house. Everyone knows which gift they want, but aren’t sure if they want the disposed of house decoration that comes with it. The entire family gathers in one room after dinner with drinks and begins the game. Those who are just watching will place bets on who ends up with what. It’s a fun game of both cheers and boos that we love every single year.
Giving the Dogs Presents
Yes, we’re that family. Our dogs have their own stocking on the mantle and each year we pick a toy and a bag of treats to slip in for them on Christmas morning. We didn’t always do this, but recently it became a tradition. Every year, our dogs wait patiently, tails wagging, for their new toy. I have two dogs, so we bring two toys to them and they usually decide amongst themselves who wants which one. My favorite part about this tradition is seeing their big, pure smiles, as well as watching the youngest one get so excited to play fetch with his new toy all day long.
And on that note, that concludes my list of favorite Christmas traditions. Everyone has their own favorite traditions that bring their families smiles each year. Getting together with family and keeping up with traditions is what makes the holidays special. I can’t wait to keep up with my family traditions for the years to come.