Ideas to Spark a Christmas Tradition

Christmas is coming!

As excited new parents we of course are all up in “Christmas Tradition” making mode. It is fun but also can be difficult to determine how to build a new tradition while each parent also wants to pass down the traditions from their childhood. You want to create something new out of the old without stepping on anyone’s special time-honored traditions toes.

Traditions are special

It’s not the gifts that children look forward to during the holiday season but the traditions. Knowing what to expect each year, with a bit of surprise is a sure-fire way to build up the anticipation! Traditions are something that stick with you always and take you to happy memories filled with nostalgia.

Do you want to build traditions?

When Grayson (My husband) and I began discussing the matter of Christmas traditions, we each immediately grasped for our childhood traditions. After we exhausted all the memories and intricacies associated with our respective traditions we knew we needed to find a way to intermingle them. Below are snippets of each of our traditions.

Grayson: Christmas Eve gift of pajamas to wear to bed and open gifts on Christmas morning. Extended family all go to one house Christmas Eve to wake up together Christmas Morning. Christmas breakfast of blini (also know as crepes), and Christmas lunch but not a set menu. Then the finale of the day is going to a movie.

Erica: Christmas Eve gift exchange between mom, dad, and children. Make cookies and set them out for Santa. Open presents from Santa on Christmas morning and yummy cinnamon rolls for breakfast (along with other foods of choice). Christmas lunch at Grandma’s with extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins) and bagel sandwiches with every meat and cheese you could want, homemade macaroni and cheese, and more. We also open gifts from grandma and grandpa.

Our Tradition

Grab yourself some sweet geek swag by clicking on the picture

We decided to make our tradition from pieces of each of our experiences but to also add something new. We will spend Christmas Eve at our own home, make cookies for Santa, and open a gift of Christmas pajamas to wear on Christmas Morning. Our new addition will also be on Christmas Eve. A box will be opened for each child. Inside will be their Christmas pajamas, a Christmas book or movie, hot chocolate, and snacks. The movie will be watched, book will be read, and snacks will be devoured on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas day we will open gifts from Santa at our house first and then go to Grayson’s parents for Christmas gifts there, breakfast, lunch, and, when our children are old enough, the movie. We will go to his parents simply because we live in the same city as them. My family lives 17 hours away so if we ever go there for Christmas we will do my family’s traditions.

Final Thoughts

Every tradition is special, so remember to be respectful of one another’s wants. Finding a tradition that will work for your family is very similar to the idea of a unity candle (or other symbol) in a marriage ceremony. Each person’s individual gifts are joined together. From pajamas to movies, anything can be a tradition. It’s making it work and creating those special memories for your family that’s the important part.

We would love to hear about your traditions! Maybe we can mingle them with ours. Please share your thoughts with us!