Holiday traditions are a big deal around here.
It all starts with setting up the tree and my kids are always eager to help decorate.
They love opening up the ornament box and finding all of our cherished ornaments. We have a lot of hand-made and sentimental ornaments. I posted about our Christmas tree earlier this season.
We also love to decorate a gingerbread house every year. I don’t make the house myself, I usually buy a kit from Target or Walmart.
This year, we added some fun by pairing our kids up with their cousins in a decorating competition. Two teams of two decorated a house and were judged by my husband’s parents.
The kids took their decorating jobs very seriously and had a blast!
Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas at our house if we weren’t baking something yummy.
We love making cut-out cookies like sugar cookies and gingerbread that can be decorating with frosting and sprinkles. (I shared two of our cookie recipes in an earlier post.)
I am all for letting the kids do the decorating — even when it means
a million sprinkles and mounds of frosting!
We also try to do something special every year with the kids. This year, we went to see an ice exhibit at the Gaylord Texan. (If you want to see ice sculptures in Texas, you have to go indoors!) This year’s theme was “Merry Madagascar.” The kids loved it!
They even had an ice slide!
It wouldn’t be Christmas at our house without a special evening watching
“The Polar Express.”
We get all cozy in our jammies and make a batch of hot chocolate. We did this the other night when it was 68 degrees outside — not really hot chocolate weather,
but no matter what, we make hot chocolate!
Finally, our biggest tradition of all is getting together with our family! My husbands parents live nearby so it’s easy to get together with them, but my family lives scattered across the United States. Every year, we make an effort to get together for the holidays even if it’s not on the actual day itself. This year my parents will be here on Christmas eve and will stay through the new year.
My brother’s family will arrive a day or two after Christmas.
No matter when we celebrate, it wouldn’t be the same without family.
And, because my family is coming in tomorrow and will be here until January 2, this will be the last you’ll be hearing from me for awhile.
I’ll be back (and hopefully with a new blog design!) sometime during the first week of January. I have a lot of projects and ideas for 2013 so please keep coming back!
Until then, I hope you all have the best of holidays!
Linking up to:
Jennifer Rizzo
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I have just discovered your blog and Love it!!! I love Texas even though I am a Florida Cracker! My brother and to dear friends live in Texas…
I am new to blogging myself and have learned so much from the blogs that I follow…
Love your Christmas photo. We have the Gaylord Palms here in Orlando…
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR…GOD BLESS.
So cute…Love your tree and all the goodies. The gingerbread house are great! What a fun ice park! I have never been anywhere like that! I have The Polar Express in 3D Hidden and ready for the Advent calendars on Christmas Eve!! I love that movie too! Merry Christmas!
Karen
What fun!!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. We have been having a cold spell here in North central Florida. I luv it!! Makes it feel like Christmas to me 🙂
Cheers, Gee