Christmas traditions

Christmas makes me giddy. Joyful. Obsessive. Insane. I love it. Today, I’m sharing my family Christmas traditions in the hopes it will spark inspiration for you if you need it. I also love talking about anything Christmas because it’s my favourite time of year.

The weekend closest to November 25: we go shopping for Christmas decorations. This year we did ours in the Hunter Valley and brought home adorable and wacky homemade ornaments. We always stop for lunch, hunt down a candy store or two and, then, come home and display our finds. Each year we get between $50 - $100 to buy whatever we desire and I love it.

December 1: we start advent and we unwrap December 1 gifts. B. gets a December 1 box and I fill it with pyjamas, a decoration or two and other random bits and pieces. Husband and I always gift each other Christmas decorations and this year he handmade all of mine. Our advent is one that you fill yourself and I always add chocolates with some surprises throughout the month. This year we have a voucher for Boomerang Fu on Switch, some gifts cards and a painting session at Pinot & Picasso on Christmas Eve.

First week of December: B. and I donate a Christmas Bear to a children’s hospital. The bears are from The Kids Cancer Project and it’s wonderful. I so prefer this to those Christmas trees you see at Kmart. I just feel like they don’t do them as well as they used to. Remember when they had tags with the person’s name, age and interests? And when the gifts were wrapped? Anyway, this is what works for our family and I adore the tradition of picking the Christmas bear and B. selecting the hospital.

December 23: we take it in turns to hide the pickle ornament for a pickle race the next day. Whoever finds the pickle gets to hand out the gifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They also get to open their stocking first on Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve: we gift each other a game that we can enjoy that day. Board games or console games that we can play together are mandatory. We also always go out for an Italian dinner.

Christmas Day: we open stockings and B’s sack before moving to the main tree for our presents. I absolutely despise everyone ripping into their presents at the same time we so we hand out gifts one by one and wait as the person opens and enjoys their gifts.

So, tell me, what are some of your traditions? I can always use more to add to my list. Any excuse will do.