Family, Fashion, Holiday, Home, Outfit Inspiration, Winter · December 21, 2017

My Favorite Christmas Traditions

Bodysuit: Free People here // Skirt: Express sold out (similar here, here and here) // Heels: Steve Madden
here // Earrings: Lisi Lerch here // Lipliner: Jordana here in color “Rock n Rose” // Lipstick: Laura
Mercier here in color “Sensual” // Lipgloss: Marc Jacobs here // Tree: King of Christmas (9 foot with lights)

The magic of Christmas is in full swing and I can’t believe we’re only days away from Christmas morning! I thought it would be fun to share a few Christmas traditions I have had throughout my life, and a few Clayton and I have began on our own. I’m going to try to skip the typical traditions (looking at Christmas lights, watching holiday movies, decorating the house and tree), because although I LOVE each one of those things, I’m sure you all already do those. So I’ll try to stick to some unique ideas that might be fun for you to implement in your family!

1. Christmas cards
Even though we’ve been married for almost three years, this was the first year we mailed out Christmas cards. I am absolutely OBSESSED with how these pictures turned out because it shows the two most important things in my life: my husband and my fur baby.

*Cards from Minted
2. Hide the Christmas pickle
Clayton and I actually started this German tradition together and I can’t wait to do this with our kids one day! One person hides the pickle somewhere in the tree and then everyone else looks for it on Christmas morning. The first person to find it gets to open the first present! Since there’s only 2 of us right now, I always just hide the pickle and make Clayton find it, but one day when we have kids it’s going to be so much fun! I got this Christmas Pickle ornament here.

3. Give back
The most important thing you can do over the holidays is show someone love and serve them in some type of way. It has been a tradition in my family forever to serve at least one person each year. Whether it be buying gifts for someone, making meals, adopting a classroom or other acts of service such as helping clean up someones house, there is nothing that will bring you more joy than helping others. We are each so blessed in our own ways, but need to remember to always help those in need. Maybe you know someone who really had a rough year – take the time to do something that will bless them this holiday season.

4. Crummy Christmas Cocktail
Clayton and I started this tradition together last year, right after we bought our first home. We hosted a Christmas party and named it the “Crummy Christmas Cocktail”. We decided to make this a tradition and our hosting our second annual party this Saturday. I am so excited to spend time with friends and celebrate the best time of the year! I’ll make sure to take lots of pictures and let you guys know how it goes.

5. Christmas Eve basket for the Crum’s
This is a tradition I actually started the first Christmas I had with Clayton’s family. I spent Christmas Eve with them that year and thought it would be fun to bring over a fun Christmas Eve basket to get in the spirit. I filled it with treats (hot chocolate, gourmet popcorn, cookies, etc.!), games and any other holiday decor that would help get everyone ready for Santa to come. This year I decided to do a gorgeous candle (similar here), holiday drizzle popcorn, chocolate, hot cocoa spoons, a holiday kitchen towel and Cards Against Humanity Green Box. That way we can eat yummy holiday treats and play a game together on Christmas!

6. Go to church
I love going to the Christmas Eve candlelight service every year at church. It helps you remember that there’s so much more to Christmas than the presents and food and pretty holiday decor.

7. Read the story of Jesus’ birth
After church, we always read the story of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:1-20) to kick off the Christmas year. In the morning all the presents will be open and we will be so excited about all the new “things” we got (which is okay!). But I love that we start everything off remembering the CHRIST in Christmas. It’s His day, and I love that my family respects that and recognizes all our blessings come from Him. Clayton’s momma already gave me a gorgeous nativity kids set (the sweetest gift that was passed down from when they lived in New Zealand) and I can’t wait to read the story to our kids one day and put that up.

8. Open one gift on Christmas Eve
Once we are all snuggled in our pj’s, we open one present on Christmas Eve. This was a tradition my dad started when we were little, because we were so excited and couldn’t hardly wait one more night for Santa to come. It was always so exciting as a kid because you had a list full of the hottest toys you wanted that year. As time got older, you started getting clothes instead of toys, and then a toolkit instead of clothes (#adultlife). But it’s still fun to open one present and get in the Christmas spirit before Santa gets there. I look forward to continuing on this tradition with our kids as well.

In my opinion, the most important part of the holidays is spending time with the people you love. That is why people talk about “going home for Christmas” – it’s not exactly being in your hometown, but being with family and friends who mean the most to you. This can be a little tricky if you come from a divorced home, or if you now have to balance time with your family and your husband’s family. My parents divorced when I was really little, so my entire life I’ve grown up not knowing anything different. It was always hectic on holidays going to my dads, then my moms, then my grandparents and maybe a boyfriends house. I was so worried about the next house that I didn’t have time to truly enjoy the moment.

So last year I started a new tradition where I spend Christmas Eve night with my momma and siblings. We go out to dinner and then come back to my house for desserts and presents. I loved having the entire night with them without having to stress about going to the next house. Then Christmas morning I alwaysssss spend with my dad and Kaitlyn. My dad makes his famous homemade eggs benedict and we open presents and relax. Then we go to Clayton’s parents on Christmas night with Katherine and Cory. We open presents, eat Christmas dinner, play games and watch movies.

Presents are great, don’t get me wrong, but is there anything that fills your cup more than being with the people you love most? Laughing and eating and building memories; always remembering that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Merry Christmas my friends! I hope your holidays are filled with love, laughter and joy.