Nothing Christmasy till after Thanksgiving.
Youngest family members play elf.
Nog, Apple Cider, and Hot Cocoa with marshmallows become part of our food vocabulary.
At least one White Elephant Ornament Exchange party must take place.
Handmades heavily influence both tree theme and gifting. This year knitting is the theme.
Ria designs and hand-renders our Christmas cards. This year I'm collaborating with #myscoleoptera aka Rock Paper Fox.
Christmas Eve is spent at my mother's where we share wine and tapas buffet-style. We can bring one mutually agreed on present from home and open it there. We can also open one thing from mom. Anything else she brings later.
Christmas morning we get up early, open gifts and drink cocoa, then have breakfast. Mom comes over in the afternoon to open her presents.
We try to do at least one daytrip to see the lights with mom in St. Augustine. This year we're hoping to do an overnight with mom in St Augustine. We are also mailing our cards out from Christmas, Florida this year so I can take my family to see the fort.
New this year: Christmas letters! My cousin Sandy and her husband Ron do a Christmas letter each year that we always look forward to. I've been wanting to do one, but I wasn't really inspired till this year. I'm designing self-mailers and having a blast.
What are some of your holiday traditions? Do you have decorations that have been handmade or handed down? Tag me on Instagram @renmeleon so I can see them!
Don't forget to download your free digital-Advent paper crafts!