Holidays in my family can be kind of crazy. With three small kids and lots of family to visit I feel like we don’t rest until January, but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. To keep holiday celebrations special I make sure I am always prepared. I hate running out last minute for things so I am constantly making a list and checking it (twice!) I shop throughout the year for gifts and create a stockpile so I am not only ready for people I normally buy for but those just in case gifts (teachers, friends, neighbors.) The weekend after Thanksgiving all of our Christmas stuff inside and out goes up so we can focus on the holidays coming up, plus it puts us all in the mood. My boys are so excited already about Christmas and Santa, plus this is the first year I think they really understand about Santa. As far as cooking goes, I haven’t had Christmas Eve or Christmas Day at our house yet, but I usually pick out some good recipes and try a few things. My boys really aren’t into crafts unfortunately but hopefully my baby girl will be in a few years because I personally love crafts.
Oh but this year in lieu of the cookies I normally make I will be making Cake Pops, red and green flavored. Here is a quick recipe I used to make some for my son’s birthday – I will be changing it up and using red and green food coloring in the frosting:
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:1]
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RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY:
Mom and More Disclosure: I was sent a gift basket through The Motherhood in exchange for my honest opinion. Please see my Disclosure Policy.
Gianna says
Midnight Mass.
meme says
me and my kids make Christmas cookies and brownies to give to family and friends
Marcy Strahan says
We have shrimp Gumbo Christams Eve as a holiday tradition!
One simple tip…number gift instead of name tags to keep the kids guessing until time to open gifts.
Sand says
We bake different cookies from different countries every year.
heather c says
We buy christmas pjs for all to open on Christmas eve, then make a big breakfast Christmas morning.
Lisa Weidknecht says
We go Christmas Caroling!
dawn says
We always celebrate as a family and decorating is so much fun for us
mightynaynay(at)cs.com
amy says
we open one gift on christmas eve
cassandra says
We actually exchange our gifts at a huge dinner party on christmas eve with the entire family.
cmarquez482(at)ymail(dot)com
JoAnn F. says
bake christmas cookies!
jofo120 at yahoo dot com
Rosey says
We put a chocolate orange in each Christmas stocking every year and it’s a tradition the kids have come to look forward to (even the oldest who is now married and out of the house).
Sherl Bastien says
The whole family would have xmas at my Grandmothers on Christmas eve
Beth Good says
I host Christmas Eve brunch at my home.
Michelle Mattioda says
pajamas opened on christmas eve, and everyone decorates the tree together
Jamie says
We watch the Polar Express the night we put up our Christmas tree!
ewhatley says
One of our holiday traditions to serve meals at a local charity before we go home to our own dinner.
Shay says
Going to look at Christmas lights;-)
Kendra Gillilan says
family dinners, gift exchange
Gladys Parker says
We open one meaningful gift on Christmas Eve, one that the meaning may be bypassed with the excitement of the day.
sps1113 at yahoo dot com
brittney says
my daughter and I make home made cookies on christmas eve for santa.
brittneydejajason at gmail dot com
Happi Shopr says
We go to Midnight Mass and then go to the Waffle House afterwards for a quick meal before heading home to open one gift before going to bed for a few hours. 🙂
Angela H says
Read the Night Before Christmas with my daughter before bed every Christmas eve.
Desiree Dunbar says
My husband and I give each other an ornament every year.
Lisa Garner says
On of our holiday traditions is for my children to help my bake cookies for Santa every Christmas Eve. It’s a fun way to spend special time together!
Michelle Hagewood says
I started a new holiday tradition this year. We went for an old fashioned sleigh ride. My husband wasn’t able to go but I took my kids, my mom, my sister, and my nephew. I think it’s going to be something we do every year and hopefully I’ll be able to get the whole family eventually.
boylaneely at hotmail dot com
Kirsten says
We do the 12 days.. We made a felt hanging with 12 pockets and decorated with glitter, etc. We put a small gift in each pocket 12 days before Christmas. The kids love having something to open as they wait for the big day. The trick is to keep it small…
jamie villari says
Christmas eve the kids open 1 gift, we watch xmas movies have snacks and go to church at night….always been a tradition of mine
jamie villari
Lisa says
My daughter always gets a new ornament in her stocking that represents something she did over the year.
Annette D says
My sons and I love making holiday treats. They get to pick their favorites and then we make them together!
tina reynolds says
we pass around a notebook that we each right a page in every year [email protected]
beth says
we like to watch white christmas every year without fail
Laurie Pearson says
My friends and I have a baking party. We all bake different holiday treats and then share them with one another to take home.
Erica Best says
i love trimming the tree
Diane F says
We make frosted sugar cookies and decorate them.
Christine Jensen says
On Christmas eve we always read the story of the first Christmas found in Luke 2
Tiffany Hearn says
I love spending time with my daughters wrapping gifts and watching all the Christmas specials.
Claire says
we bake and decorate sugar cookies together.
Pauline M says
We all gather as a family on christmas eve every year! My mom makes a bunch of brazilian food, my brother and sisters come with their kids, we play bingo for our gifts and generally enjoy each others company!
Kristi Gilleland says
We like to listen to the nutcracker and drink hot chocolate while we decorate the Christmas tree. I’m skullaria at gmail dot com
Ann Marie Walker says
Christmas eve the kids our aloud to open one gift. Usually it is from an aunt or a cousin that will not be there at Christmas day.
Janet W. says
We read the story of the birth of Jesus every year on Christmas Eve before bed.
JEWEL says
Cross country skiing! After Christmas dinner we would go. Lately there hasnt been much snow so we are doing different things. Many times we will go out to a movie. SOme people say what?? On Christmas but it is really fun and theaters arent crowded
Valerie Taylor Mabrey says
have evening meal by candlelight even the youngest enjoy it and it seems to make everybody calm
vmkids3 at msn dot com
Rochelle says
We always get together with the family each holiday season and make gingerbread men and other yummy cookies. Then we split the cookies for each household. It is so fun :).
jeannine m says
ours is celebrtating my daughters birthday
mistysunrise says
We always let the kids decorate the tree
itsjustme62613 at gmail.com
tracey johnson says
we open 1 gift on christmas eve
Lauren says
my family always opens gifts on christmas eve, and then sees a movie on christmas day. it’s a lot of fun!!
Carolyn Daley says
My family has a tradition of listening to Brenda Lee holiday music while baking snickerdoodle cookies.
Julie says
We read the Night Before Christmas every Christmas Eve.
Marie Conner says
My kids have kids now, so it’s time to make new traditions. In the past we’d make popcorn balls to take to my mom’s for the big Christmas Eve get-together.
Priscilla says
We have several simple holiday traditions: Christmas chili, Gift opening at midnight, and visiting 3 houses on Christmas day.
Kayla says
We all wear matching holiday pajamas.
MelissaO says
We go to the Midnight Service at church on Xmas Eve.
wolverina401 at gmail dot com
Angela says
We bake cookies together
Becky S. says
We go by my in-laws on Christmas Eve and every year “Santa” shows up for the kids!
beckytag618 at gmail dot com
Yona says
Simple family tradition – match our wrapping paper to our Christmas tree theme or color.
melissa miller says
bake cookies
laurie says
always fill stocking with candy and personal hygien itmes
Amanda Mclemore says
We always let the kids open their stockings first before the presents:)
Jessica T. says
Christmas eve my family and I make festive pizza’s! With green and red peppers and all the works!
buttmuffin says
me and the kids decorate cookies all day.. and make popcorn balls. then we wrap them up in colored celophane and hand them out
Jennifer C says
We go to the movies on christmas eve each year.
shirley pebbles says
We always put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving and we make sure we are all together to decorate it.
Rebecca Peters says
Elf on the shelf! Kids love it!!
Stephanie says
i really could use this im about to have a baby in Jan 🙂
syndel valle says
We always open our stockings right before bed on Christmas Eve night. I’ve done it since I was a kiddo, and now I do it with my children.
Aisling says
We make Christmas breakfast the night before so it’s easy to get ready in the morning. We usually have a breakfast casserole and a coffee cake.
A.Morgan says
My daughters and I bake Christmas cookies together 🙂
erma says
We all gather and tell stories of long ago
Elena says
We have a tradition to take our family photo every Christmas when the whole family gets together
melissa miller says
breakfast christmas morning
Danielle says
We all get together and spend the evening singing songs and watching Christmas movies!!
melissa Resnick says
we go see a christmas light show every year
Lily says
We watch The Muppet Christmas Carol every year!
angie says
we decorate tree together maybe not all at sime time due to schedules but we all add just a bit
tamatha hunter says
this is our first year at the beach so we are starting new traditions this year
Lucy Schwartz says
This Christmas tradition just started a couple of years ago. We draw names and buy a special gift for that person. Of course I always makeup tins of Christmas cookies for everyone.
Debbie C says
We have a set of handmade ornaments many years old that we use every year in our decorations.
chrisdeglen(at)gmail(dot)com
karin says
try to watch White Christmas every year
Gloria S says
As our family grew in size, we started drawing names instead of trying to buy for everyone.
Allison says
One tradition that we do is to have tamales on christmas eve. I grew up with a step-parent who was mexican and this is a small way I honor her.
Hoa Le says
We drive around big cities to look at the holiday light displays every Christmas season!
alittlepieceofheaven777(at)yahoo(dot)com
Debra Hall says
the kids put up the tree
Jill Myrick says
We enjoy having hot cocoa and cookies while reading The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve before going to bed.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Caryn S says
Bake holiday cookies
renee walters says
We take a family picture in front of the tree each year! Happy holidays! Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
Renee Walters
[email protected]
Melanie Johnson says
I always buy pj’s for the kids and wrap them up as tootsie rolls. I give them to them Christmas Eve so Christmas morning pictures look awesome!
Susan Smith says
We go out looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve
Christian Nunez says
We do a white elephant style gift exchange
Kimberley Meier says
We always let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve.
Zenaida says
We put home-made treats in the Christmas Stockings.
AndreaH says
When we were younger it was chaos on Christmas morning so there was a rule that one person (usually one of us kids) would be the “Santa helper” on Christmas morning. Meaning one child would be in charge of handing out gifts under the tree each year (we got to wear the santa hat). This way the focus could be on one person at a time when they opened their gift and it kept us from fighting over who got to hand what to people. It also assured that the ornaments wouldn’t get broken!
AndreaH
davandihamilton (at) gmail (dot) com
Tabathia B says
we always bake for the ronald mcdonald house cupcakes
Cori Westphal says
WE do Christmas cookies every year! And we also all chip in to buy our pets gifts too. They’re part of the family too!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Erica C. says
We drive around the neighborhood looking at our neighbor’s Christmas decorations/lights.
Jill Kecseg says
We go together to cut down a tree and then we decorate it together!
Tara Liebing says
We draw names for presents with our cousins otherwise it would be way too many gifts to afford and buy.
Heather S says
We bake cookies to give to neighbors and friends
Denise M says
We always have breakfast burritos on Christmas morning as a family with ranch dressing for tater tots 🙂
Kate Barnt says
We haven’t had much time to establish traditions, but we always watch our favorite christmas movies on christmas eve. We like Scrooged, Love Actually, and I like It’s a Wonderful Life!
Kimberly says
Our favorite tradition is going to choose the perfect Christmas tree and then drinking hot chocolate & eating yummy Christmas treats while we decorate it. With holiday music in the background it really puts us into the spirit of the season.
Thanks for the chance to win
Jennifer Reda says
we make sugar cookies for santa
Dree says
We play Mrs. Right ever year. It’s fun.
Susan Chester says
I hand out candy canes to everyone who stops by during December.
smchester at gmail dot com
Crystal says
I live 1000 miles away from my closest family members, so we don’t do any Christmas traditions together.
Mary says
We always make cookies to share with our friends and family.
Kati Lear says
We have German pancakes every Christmas Morning. (They are huge and amazing!)
klearboredom at yahoo dot com
Trisha Burgess says
We have a tradition of on christmas eve we open up jammies! Its alwasy so fun to get them and look so cute on christmas morning!
Christy Weller says
We make Christmas cookies together to hand out with our gifts.
[email protected]
Kristy T says
We always try to decorate the tree together every year 🙂 Thanks for hosting!
sheila a says
we open one gift on christmas eve!
brooke t says
Cut down a fresh christmas tree
SnKmommy says
we open 1 gift on christmas eve, when the kids are younger its always a new pair of jammies to wear that night
Klady says
We open one present early for christmas eve
Monster90716 at yahoo dot com
Amanda Kinder says
If there are many presents that need to be wrapped and they are for other people (not in your immediate family), create an assembly line. One wraps, one tapes, one writes the gift tag, and the other one sticks the bow on top!
Allison Downes says
We always to to our church! They always have a play and potluck!
Belinda McNabb says
I prepare as much as I can before xmas and freeze or refrigerate. On xmas day it sure cuts down on the stress of getting all the food ready
bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com
Sandra O says
I make special homemade goodies from scratch and share with friends. Often, the holidays are so busy that not every has time to back from-scratch.
Shannon Egan says
Our tradition is eating hickory farms on Christmas eve in new PJs, playing games and eating a huge meal. Then we always open gifts and play Nintendo the following morning. lol Usually Mario Kart.
Amy S says
We enjoy baking cookies together.
Betty says
We opened one gift on the eve, and the balance on Christmas day. And then my kids came home thrilled to tell me about a friend who’s family celebrated Christmas Adam (1 gift)and also Christmas Eve (2 gifts) with the balance on Christmas morning. I laughed which broke my motherly concentration and that was the start of our observing … Christmas Adam.
SnowflakeDay (Audra) says
Our tradition is watching Seven Brides for Seven Brothers every year while we decorate the house. It’s a musical, so everyone is singing the crazy songs and dancing around. 🙂
edq143 says
wonderful im in
Angela M says
We host a Christmas potluck and invite everyone we know!
amy says
we make an ornament every year for the tree
Lori S says
We play games on Christmas eve.
Thanks!
Denise B. says
Our Christmas is celebrating Advent, St. Nicholas Day, Christmas Eve, and the 12 Days of Christmas.
Kristie says
We always play the white elephant game with gag gifts.
Janna says
decorating
Blogtacular contest! Thanks so much! Janna Johnson [email protected]
Janna@feedyourpig on GFC
Jean Lynd says
We use a felt advent calendar & use each night.
Vicky H. says
Simple family tradition for me would be going over to my grandmother’s and aunt’s houses for that side of the family’s Christmas Eve party. We eat, open gifts, chat, and just relax.
tracy davis says
We pick out a christmas tree together every year
Jessica Rose says
We always have to watch the Original Christmas Carol movie
NAN says
we string popcorn for the tree
nannypanpan at gmail.com
MK says
We exchange small gifts 8 nights.
Mary Calabrese says
My tradition is to make eggnog that we all have on Christmas eve.
debyee says
We make applesauce and cinnamon ornaments with cookie cutters!
Lori Hart says
My mom has been givng all the girls a “make up/skincare” gift on christmas morning. It’s called her Mrs. Claus gift.
Amyc says
Even though we are adults now with our own families, we still get together with my parents to help decorate their tree just like we were kids.
Marj M. says
We drive around looking at the Christmas lights.
gourdsrmylife(at)yahoo(dot)com
paige chandler says
We enjoy decorating the tree the day after Thanksgiving.
Monique RIzzo says
We watch holiday movies while eating popcorn.
Thanks for the chance.
[email protected]
EMMA L HORTON says
WE HAVE OUR BIG FAMILY DINNER AND TALK, TALK, AND TALK AND TALK MORE…BUT WE ENJOY
Kiara says
Every year we all help with decorating the Christmas tree.
[email protected]
Renee Bruno says
My family adds ornaments to the tree each year from places we’ve travelled.
crystle tellerday says
watch Christmas specials
Kristen m says
My family is just my husband and I,so we go to the movies every Christmas eve.
blue65829 at aol dot com
nanjhall says
We set aside one afternoon to do holiday baking and decorating together.
randi says
we all get together for food & fun on Christmas Eve & then go to services at church.
Tari says
We hop in the car, pop in our Mitch Miller Christmas CD and go out looking at Christmas light displays.
Alicia wallace says
Chinese takeout while we decorate the tree
Haley McLain says
What a great idea. The large gift set is AMAZING looking. I’d love some more Whitestrips to use around the holidays
Heather Avery says
We always get together with family on every holiday, but as far as connecting with the WHOLE extended family, we have New Years Day and Memorial Day reserved at Grandma’s house for that. Its an open invitation potluck every year on both holidays, and since it never changes, we can all just plan on it so there is no need to wonder where we are supposed to be and when! 😀
Jemmy says
My husband and I open our stockings on Christmas eve.
andrea d says
decorating the tree and doing stockings
Kathy S says
I buy each of the kids an ornament and they open them at our Christmas dinner. They are appreciated mroe when not opened with the other gifts.
Jennifer Rote says
Our simple tradition is we always make a new paper chain to decorate with. The kids love doing it.
melissa n says
My holiday tradition is that i do all the baking and bring it all to my aunts house.
sandra says
we bake pies during the holidays
Jess McCarthy says
Just always make sure to spend quality time together as an immediately family and take the time to slow things down.
Costana Hornbaker says
we make an ornament every year for the tree as a family
Laura Jacobson says
One thing we do each year and is so easy…is we take our pictures down off the walls…and wrap them in wrapping paper and ribbon and bows…then hang them back up. Is a quick and easy way to decorate the house for the holidays!!!!!
BusyWorkingMama says
We open one gift early on Christmas eve.
karen M says
Take turns being Santa’s Helper when we open gifts.. we all were santa and elves hat for our family party. And alway have a weekend set aside to make our Ginger Bread House.
jr911 says
My simple tradition is purchasing a new family ornament together each year
VickieCouturier says
we have hot apple cider an snacks on CHristmas Eve for friends an family that drop over
Linda Stewart says
Elf on the Shelf. The boys love waking up every morning wondering where they will find their Charlie Elf.
Christina says
My favorite family Christmas traditions are … baking with the kids, cookie exchages with friends/family, our Christmas Eve gift exchange (each year has a theme and its always so much fun) and caroling with the church!
Yolanda R says
The kids and I make a gingerbread house on Christmas Eve.
deb c says
We open one gift Christmas eve and it’s always matching holiday pajamas.
It looks cute for pictures the next morning.
Terra Heck says
The women in our family get together on a Sunday before Christmas and bake up lots of cookies and candies. We then divide them onto trays to pass out to loved friends. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
Kristi C says
We go to a tree farm the Saturday after Thanksgiving to pick our tree and then spend the rest of the day decorating.
Lori Z. says
I love the weekend after Thanksgiving when we get out our Christmas stuff–the kids are so excited to decorate and remember the things from years before.
Racheal Smith says
We have a lot of fun Christmas traditions. A few days before Christmas, we drive around and look at the Christmas lights. I make hot chocolate on Christmas day and we drink it while we open presents.
Leanne M says
We like to take the kids to the Christmas train
Oanh says
Our family love to gather and sing karaoke.
DEBIJOT says
The grandkids and I bake Christmas cookies together every year.
Kathy Davis says
My tip is that at our house Santa doesn’t come if the house isn’t clean. Believe me, everyone chips in to help. No one wants to take any chances,
Martha Boismier says
We keep having our get together going even after my parents passed away.
Michele B says
At Christmas time with the help of my granddaughter, now that she is old enough to help, I bake many different kinds of cookies. Not only do we enjoy them at home and get togethers, but we use them as gifts for teachers, friends, doctors, etc.
Ellen C. says
We let all of the children open just 1 gift before they go to bed on Christmas Eve. Thanks for the chance.
Patti Hess says
We watch Christmas movies and open one gift on Christmas Eve.
pattifritz2000 at yahoo dot com
thanks
Brynn Dexter says
Every night starting December 1st until Christmas we watch a different Christmas movie, chosen by random. It’s a fun way to get in the Christmas sprit and watch all the movies we love especially when it is all chosen by random it makes it that much more fun 🙂
sus says
We make & decorate holiday cookies together as a family. Makes some nice quality familt time.
Ann Fudge Cluck says
We go look at all the Christmas lights and decorations.
Karen Fields says
The biggest tradition is going to either my parent’s house, or my boyfriend’s parent’s house. We switch every holiday.
renfie.fields[at]gmail.com
Debbie says
we use walnuts for reindeer prints on a snowy roof
Christy says
We always put up our tree and decorations on Black Friday rather than fight the crowds shopping.
Heather D says
Just enjoy your family!!! We have cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then take our time and just enjoy each other!
Stacy H says
We always bake my grandma’s Christmas cookie recipe together!
Nicole S. says
Every year our local racetrack (PIR) does a Christmas light show. We grab some to go coco, pile in my car, tune the radio to the Christmas station and drive through slowly. We have been doing this for about 12 years now! I love it! Can’t wait to go this year and see what’s new.
rebecca says
The kids open up one gift from us (mom and dad) on Christmas Eve. We started Elf on a Shelf this year too!
Kelly Hutchinson says
to save money and to make it more fun, we buy fabric scraps and ribbons and make our own tree decorations
Candice says
We open one present on Christmas Eve, and the rest on Christmas Day.
Andrea Williams says
We always read about the first Christmas from the Bible.
Margie says
We usually take a walk around the neighborhood on Christmas Eve. The roads are filled with candles in bags, and it is beautiful shining off the snow.
Diane says
We put on the christmas staion on Sirrus XM in the car and drive around drinking hot cocoa looking at everyones lights!
D Schmidt says
We bake and decorate cookies together
darlene bohannon says
I USE THE WAX PAPER OUT OF CEREAL BOXES TO COOL MY COOKIES ON,SAVE BUYING REG. WAX PAPER. ALSO ITS REUSEABLE TOO
Cher says
That is an awesome idea! I never thought of re-using that!
Sam Woltman says
We love coffeecake Christmas morning while the kids tear into gifts. Thanks for the chance.
Sylvia White says
We just love singing carols by the tree
desiree says
wow what i use and could need for u coming winter
desi the blnde @ msn .com
cathy says
We bake cookies and make sure to always make extra for some elderly neighbors during the holiday season
BrooklynShoeBabe says
One of my family traditions is to have a Christmas Grab Bag during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. (My family celebrates Christmas twice because my uncle and his family always visit during that 3 day weekend in January.) In the grab bag, we put in all our little extra presents and re-gifted presents that we collected during the holidays season and there’s a trade off with different members of the family.
Kimberly McCullers says
Our family is VERY spread out, so our traditions run a little different than most. Some years we fly to Dallas & do a Christmas Eve present opening/dinner, other years we stay home and do Christmas Eve at my Granny’s house & Christmas day at ours. We have moved a lot over the years, so it just depends where we are.
Jackie says
My family loves when I bake cookies, and now that my daughters are older, they like to help.
Thank you!
Jessie C. says
Cook less, simplified meals so to spend more quality time with family.
tracy simms says
our tradition is to watch dvds of action movies all day!
debbie says
One of our holiday traditions are to make clove oranges. I hang them up, and they smell good for months.
Trasina McGahey says
Every year we all make and decorate sugar cookies with all kinds of colored frostings and different sprinkles.
Lori Klemp says
We make fondue for our Christmas dinner. It’s delicious and fun. The kids love it. Dinner and entertainment all in one!
Hollie Jahnke says
I try to do alot of things the night before to make it less stressful on Christmas!
Sassy says
We go look at lights together.
Jessica T. says
My son and I will make cookieds together and we like to ride around and look at the lights and decorations.