Share Your Holiday Traditions to Win

On Christmas morning our family open up a new pair of matching jammies that we all proudly wear during the morning and for bed Christmas night!!

It probably sounds a little silly but my husband and I started dating during the holiday season so it's kind of a special time for us. But as busy parents it gets crazy so we always get a sitter and make sure to take one special date-night break to reconnect in the week before Christmas. We might have tons of other fun ones we share with our kids but for me this is my secret favorite. Sometimes the season of giving becomes all about everyone else's needs and we moms get left drained by it this one little thing always makes me feel better even if it's only a quick dinner without the kids or a movie date. :)

I, my mom and my neice get together every year and make spritz cookies and swiss cheese bread to hand out as gifts. Not only are the cookies and bread yummy the time we spend together is invaluable.

Starting when I was a little kid every year my family would go to the local zoo (no matter the weather conditions!) to see the Christmas lights they put up. A few years ago my brother decided he wanted to propose to his girlfriend (now fiance). Since it was a family tradition my brother invited all of us as well as her family to come and be there for them. He proposed to her during the light show right infront of a 50 ft Christmas tree and, of cours, she said, "YES!" Now every year we go back with her family as well and have a wonderful time. I think each year we add new family members. We are going this weekend and I can't wait!!!

My holiday favorite started when my boys were in grade school. Every year at work we would do a holiday ornament exchange. It was my first holiday at my job. I received a "Mary's Angel" ornament and this particular ornament had two little boy angels singing by a lamp post. It gave me chills because my two children are boys and they looked much like the two angels and I always called my boys my angel boys. From that Christmas on I buy one of "Mary's Angels" to put on our tree. My boys are almost grown now but it still means so much to us to putting that ornament on the tree.

i get all the women together for a night of their best dresses and shoes, coffee, cookies and movies. we need it to destress!

Our holiday tradition IS a movie. :-) *off to write the movie review*

The tradition that we have that is my favorite is that we spend many of our evenings (especially while on break) watching shows together, sipping some hot cocoa or hot Dr. Pepper with lime with the fire burning bright. Our family stays very busy, so this quiet together time means more than anything to me.

a tradition that we have followed in my family for generations is one that so many familes do, We put up the tree on Thanksgiving weekend and leave it up till new years weekend. And we also put out the other Christmas decorations the day we put up the tree. I try to make Christmas sugar cookies too.

We always put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving. I also make up plates of cookies and candy and have my little ones put on there Santa hats and deliver them to all the neighbors around us.

My family tradition is having fish on Christmas Eve! Being Italian this is what we do. When my Dad was alive we use to have a big feast of all kinds of fish! Since Dad has passed I have always carried on the tradition with my friends since I moved away to Florida and now live in North Carolina. I will always carry this tradition as long as I am alive. I believe after I am gone my children will take my place!

Our traditions are to put up a stocking for Jesus who this time of year is all about. We make sure to pray together and give praise to Him and remember that He is the reason for the season!! We have family over, make a great meal and just spend time together. Love it!!

Each year we make ornaments with our pictures on them.We have three children and the two oldest are five and 10 years old so they can make their own ornaments. We all get to pick a current photo and we use an ornament kit and arts and crafts to make an ornament for the tree. We always write the year on the ornament so years from now we will know when each one was made. We all make two ornaments, one for our tree and one for Granny's tree. It is fun to look at how much the children have changed as each year passes. These are our special ornaments and we save them in a special box when we take down the tree. What is also special is that they are cheap to make and it gets the creative juices flowing. Last year we had a new baby so we made him his first ornament for the tree. Once my children are grown and have households of their own I will give them the ornaments they made and they can continue the tradition with their own children.

My favorite holiday tradition is getting out with my mom and sister grabbing starbucks and driving around town checking out christmas lights. Most of the year we bicker and fight a lot but that always brings us together. It is perfect.

My tradition with my 3 girls is to always make Christmas cookies. We start the first weekend in December and keep making them every weekend until Christmas. They invite friends over to help too. We play Christmas music and just have fun. The girls really enjoy this every year. Some of their friends even ask them each year if we are still making them because they have doing it also. I just wish that this year I had more of the holiday spirit. I am just not feeling it this year. Happy Holidays to all.