Is it too early to be in the Christmas mood? Asking for a friend…
Who am I kidding? It’s me. I’m the friend. I’m 100% ready for the holiday season!
My favorite part of the holiday is giving gifts to my family and friends. I love the entire process, from picking out the perfect item to taking it home and wrapping it in nice paper and then of course, seeing the look on their face when they open their gift.
It’s about this time of year when stores start to put out their Christmas decorations that I start thinking of what I want to get each special person in my life. The hardest present to buy has always been the present I get for my mom and dad. It is so difficult to find the perfect item that shows them just how thankful I am for their constant support but that at the same time can keep my wallet happy.
When my sister and I were little, like many families, we would get in our pajamas and crawl in bed with our mom and dad to read “The Night Before Christmas” every Christmas Eve. As my sister and I have grown older, our family moved away from this tradition. A few years ago, my sister and I decided to give our parents the gift of a sweet holiday memory to make us all feel like we were kids again. We like to call it “The Night Before Christmas Box”.
After our Christmas Eve festivities were over, we had our mom and dad open the box of goodies. The only thing we bought for the box was two sets of Christmas pajamas, two Christmas mugs, and a Christmas ornament. We set them in the box with items we already had around the house: a blanket, four pouches of hot chocolate, homemade reindeer food (equal parts sugar, sprinkles, and oats), and of course a copy of “The Night Before Christmas.” We spent the rest of the evening taking part in all our favorite childhood holiday traditions. Before going to bed, we sat on the couch all snuggled together, drank our hot chocolate, and read the classic tale.
The holidays can get a little hectic around my house, but this gift gave us all the chance to slow down and soak up every bit of the Christmas nostalgia. To this day my parents will bring up how special the gift made them feel. This night will forever be one of my favorite holiday memories with my family.