My Favorite Christmas Traditions

I am someone who loves traditions. My family isn't huge on traditions but over the years, I've created my own personal traditions that are almost like mindful actions at the change of seasons and for the holidays.

I do them for pretty much everything from Halloween to the start of summer but my favorite mini traditions by far, are Christmas. I thought it would be fun to talk about some of those personal traditions that I like to do during the Christmas season and what better day to post than Christmas Eve!

Personal Christmas Traditions

Christmas Movies

I start watching Christmas movies the moment Thanksgiving ends. This year, I started watching Hallmark movies to get me in the spirit for the entire month of November and then once the clock strikes Black Friday, it's all about The Grinch, Elf, Home Alone, and all the claymation movies. IT puts me in the best mood and gets me in the spirit.

Decor and the Nativity 

There are few things I love more in life than decorating for Christmas. The past two years, my mom and I decide to put up the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving and it is going to become an annual tradition. I love having it up for an extra few days (or weeks, depending on when Thanksgiving is) and it just makes the season feel a little longer. On Black Friday, I decorate the house with our little odds and ends, as well as putting up the Nativity. The Nativity scene has been my favorite since I was a little girl; it's the one decoration that really means a lot to me and I love seeing other people's Nativity setups when I go to their house. The reason mine is so special is because my grandmother (who passed before I was born) handmade it. It's so beautiful and my favorite thing about Christmas.

Baking

Since I was about 17 years old, I've been in charge of baking for Christmas. My mom was never a huge baker and I love everything about it, especially for the holidays. A few weeks before Christmas, I look up recipes and decide what I'm going to make. Some years it's more complicated than others but this year is simple with some festive cupcakes and a variety of cookies. Either the night before or on Christmas Eve, I set myself up with A Charlie Brown Christmas and my baking supplies and get to work.

A few other honorable mentions: 

I switch out the gallery wall in my room for Christmas prints, try to wear as much festive gear as possible, drinking hot chocolate and Christmas coffee, and for the past two years I've been trying to read Christmas books.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Hanukkah, or any other holiday you celebrate!

xoxo
B