Creating Family Traditions

​I come from a family where traditions mean something. Santa still writes us kids letters commenting on our year and how good we have been. I say kids here, but mean by sister, brother, and I, all in our late twenties, early thirties. Christmas is an important time for my family as we are able to relive childhood memories. This includes being able to count the story The Night Before Christmas without even opening the book. 

​My mother always doted over holidays, she always encouraged us to decorate our apartments and make homemade recipes for friends. These are things that I am grateful as I am now starting a family of my own. I will keep some of the old family traditions, and start some new ones of my own.
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​Homemade stockings
 A homemade Christmas stocking is a lovely thing. It can reflect the personality of the child, parent or pet and fits into the modge podge of other decorations. I love sewing, so this is something I look forward to doing for my baby. 

This year I made myself a stocking to add to Michael’s one from a few years ago.

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​A Real Christmas Tree
It can be the ugliest thing in the entire world. It can be lopsided on the top, it can look like a Charlie Brown tree. None of it’s look matters. It is the smell and the ornaments that set the stage for the holidays.
Even better, going as a family to pick out the tree can be one of the funnest and most memorable outings all year.

If the Griswolds can find a Christmas tree, so can you.

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Santa Letters
Now in our house, Santa was always leaving us letters on the morning of the 25th. He would write them very messily in red ink, as he was always in a rush to get to the next house. Even though we are old and grown, I still appreciate those letters where Santa took a moment to acknowledge each of us individually.

Family Time
The most important part of the holidays is to spend time with family. The second most important thing is not to stress. Bake cookies, sing songs, go tobogganing, and hang out around the dinner table. Dinner will happen when it happens, the kids will be dressed to go to Nana’s house - even if their shirt is wrinkled. We will all be together.

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I hope you find yourselves making holiday traditions with your new baby and your growing family too.