[Merry Christmas in Armenian]
Otay, Christmas is in two weeks! How did that happen?! It really is true what they say, “the days are long but the years are short!” I know this year is upside down + backwards but even with the year we’ve had I feel like we can still implement past traditions and maybe even make new ones to bring into the following Holiday Seasons to come!
Some of my favorite Christmas traditions that we’ve done since I was little are:
✨Cutting Down Our Christmas Tree ✨
When we lived in New Jersey we cut our own Christmas tree down every year. It was so much fun, espeically when it snowed! We’d get all bundled up + bring snacks [see first picture ha!] and go around and search for our perfect tree. I’m sure I just looked for the biggest + tallest tree ha! But once we found it my dad would cut it down + of course I’d help. Then when we had to walk back I remember always riding on the tree because I was just too tired to walk anymore ha! One year our tree was so big we couldn’t bring it in the front door, we had to bring it around the back because we had french doors that opened up to the back deck. Prettiest tree I ever did see ha!
✨ Ice Skating at Bear Mountain, NY ✨
This one isn’t just for Christmas but the winter season. When we’d go around Christmas, we’d go at night so the ice rink was lite up + they played Christmas music and it was just so much fun! It was outside and in the mountains [hence the name ha!] It was just so magically espeically when it snowed. We’d go several times a season, we were really good even though it doesn’t look like it ha! Afterwards we’d walk around the lawn to The Lodge + get hot chocolate and warm up but the HUGE wood burning fireplace in the lounge room. We’d play + the parents would talk. It was such a fun time!
✨ Starting with Our Stockings ✨
This one I started when I was little, all on my own lol I would always start with my stocking before going to see what Santa brought me or unwrap any of the other piles of gifts I got. [I was and am VERY blessed!] Not sure why but thats how I’d start opening things on Christmas morning. My dad tells me I was the same with any type of gift I received that had a card. I always opened the card first + read it before I opened the gift. I’m not sure if we were just used to starting with our stockings and told them to do it or they did it on their own but when my brothers were old enough to open gifts they started with their stockings too. I’m choosing to believe its a family thing and they did it themselves ha! Even to this day we start with our stockings.
✨Decorating the chandelier with Holly ✨
I have been decorating this chandelier with this same holly for over 30 years. My Grandma called/s me her Holly Girl ha! It’s been my job for as long as I can remember + it’s still my job today which I take very seriously. In fact, tonight I’m going to decorate the chandelier with the holly. [This picture is from last year]. I don’t have to stand on the table to reach anymore but I do have to stand on a chair to get the top layer ha! I put on Christmas music + put all the holly + cardinals on and every year I position the cardinals in a different place. I will say that when I take it down the chandelier looks so empty + blah ha!
✨Looking Cute ha! ✨
Otay I couldn’t resist this one! As I was going through the photo albums and stumbled across this one, I had to share! I really haven’t changed all that much other than my hair is longer + I may be a tad bit older + taller ha! Fun Fact: my cousin Jake + I had the same hair cut when we were the same age. Thanks Grandam… lol
✨My Daddee reading the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve ✨
This one is probably my favorite and unfortunately I don’t have any pictures to go along with it. I can’t find any at least. Ever since I can remember my Dad would read me + then my brothers when they came along, the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve right before we went to bed. When we were super little he would read it to us in bed but as we got older he read it to us on the couch with the fire going + the Christmas tree lights on. The fun part about it was without fail, every year he would start yawning like on the second page ha! Not only was the tradition our dad reading the book to us, but we added one that was we counted how many times he yawned while reading.
These are my favorites but we do have some others as well. What are some of your favorite Christmas and/or Holiday Season Traditions? Leave them in the comments below! I’d love to hear them!
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Thank you so much for being here, I can’t tell you how much it means to me!
Always Sparkle and Shine Bright…
xoxo,
Jen