If you know me at all, you will know I absolutely love Christmas. The decorations, music, movies, magic of it all. I'm an early decorator and we go all out. That's why Christmas traditions are so important to me. Some were passed down from my family, some we adapted from other people and some we made up all on our own. I truly cherish each and every one of them. So from my family to yours here they are... [Warning: Please don't take all of them to serious or get offended, we make up our own rules because life is too short]
1. We drink egg nog and listen to Christmas music while we put up the tree and decorate it the day after Halloween.
2. We always make an obscene amount of Christmas cookies and only eat like half of them. This year we are going to pass some out because I also hate waste.
3. We watch every Christmas classic movie and some. Me and my daughter love the Hallmark movies. {see list for all the ones you don't want to miss}
4. We read the elf on the shelf book which brings buddy the elf back. Yes we still move him around even though my children are older and the magic is lost.
5. We love going to see the lights display in Bluefield, WV. Back home in tidewater we either went to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens or Virginia Beach.
6. We drink an obscene amount to hot apple cider like they don't sell it all year long.
7. We always open a Christmas Eve box. Usually whatever my first day home from vacation is. It always contains a pair of pajamas and a board game. Then we sit around and play a ton of games.
8. I always color a picture with my colored pencils in my Christmas coloring book. So much fun!
9. We usually open our presents one day at a time leading up to the actual Christmas Day. It gets spread out longer and we get to enjoy each present for a longer period of time before we open the next one. I think it helps us to appreciate each gift more instead of ripping them all open at once.
10. We always meet my dad and his girlfriend at Ihop Christmas morning for breakfast.
There you have it. We love the season and make it last as long as we can. Please tell me what are some of your family traditions. Also, feel free to break the rules and enjoy your season more.