Sharing Holiday Traditions

What Holiday Traditions do you look forward to each year? Whether you bake, attend a festival, host a family gathering, attend a church service, decorate, cut down a tree, ice skate, craft, go to the movies on Christmas Eve, create gingerbread houses, host a gift exchange or open house, volunteer in the community, take a hike on Christmas Day – big or small, I look forward to the many traditions we have created, and get to revisit year after year. 

Since I love hearing how others celebrate the season, I’ve partnered with a few of my Fierce 50 blogger sisters to bring you 5 different takes on Holiday Traditions…now how fun is that? At the end of my post, you will find the links to each of their Holiday Traditions stories, better than anything you’d find on the magazine stands…enjoy!

Top left clockwise: Cindy at Fashion Trends and Friends | Robin at Hello I’m 50ish | Nina at Sharing a Journey | Hilda at Over the Hilda | and me!

A Few of My Favorites

Starting the Day after Thanksgiving, when everyone else is out shopping the sales, we set up our tree and decorate like crazy! It’s so fun to unearth all the holiday treasures, collected over the years. A Christmas Decor junkie, it literally takes 2 days to set up our home for the holidays – hubby and kids think this is how everyone does things…we don’t need to tell them I’m a little over the top! The weekend ends with left-over turkey chili and an evening stroll to our annual town parade Sunday night, the perfect way to kick off the holiday season! Once in full swing I look forward to my ladies luncheons, holiday boutiques, our Family Gingerbread House Building/Christmas Movie Night, holiday concerts, our traditional last day of school dinner out/driving around in the car looking for the best christmas light display, our annual beach getaway, to our family attempt to make Monkey Bread Christmas morning. By the way, if you have a good Monkey Bread recipe will you let me know? We have yet to perfect the concoction, but failing is part of the fun, some day we’ll get it right they all say…

On Creating New Traditions

Some of the best traditions are not planned. This week my son caught a cold. Poor kid, who likes to be sick the last week of school? No one in Junior High or High School these days – there is way to much work to make-up. Needless to say, he was a not a happy camper. With his fever gone mid-week, it was time to get back to school. Still not 100%, he jumped in the shower to psych himself up for the day ahead.  Out of no where I said, “Let’s go to McDonalds for breakfast”. The look in his eye was one I wish I could package up forever. I have never seen my son get to the car so quickly. And off we were, I in my pajamas with Christmas tunes blasting from the radio straight thru McDonalds drive thru. As he scarfed his syrupy pancakes and hash brown on the drive to school, the simple smile and “Thanks Mom” was the best gift I could ask for. My sick little guy, now had a kick in his step to get him through the day. Next year, sick or not, I can tell you this will our little Christmas tradition…for as long as he’ll ride along.

Cookie Swap and White Elephant Gift Exchange

Back in my retail days, when I was a store manager for Nordstom Inc., I spent everyday of the holiday season spreading joy and cheer to my employees and customers 24/7. I’m certainly not complaining, after all I got to spend my days in the most beautifully decorated department store, complete with a Santa and piano – everyday was a party! But when I got home at the end of the day, I was totally wiped out and to be honest, a bit ba-humbug. My fellow store manager pal Suzy and I got together and decided we could enjoy the holidays just as much as everyone else. With a little planning, we too could have some girlfriend time and enjoy the magic of the holiday season outside our busy stores. That day marked the beginning of a 16 year tradition of holiday cookie parties. Time got away from me one year and I skipped the party, which I totally regretted doing. I missed the laughter, friendship, holiday spirit and of course the cookies!

Those green wreaths?

Here’s my girlfriend Shiela’s recipe, via People Magazine for Jelly Linzer Wreaths (not easy, but delicious!) 

Looking for somthing more simple?

My pal Freya’s chocolate ganache sandwiches – AMAZING flavor…Nabisco Famous Wafers with Ganache sandwiched in-between.

And if the cookies haven’t got you in the mood to dust off your mixer, how about this?

Christmosas! (recipe HERE)

Outfit Details: Satin Pleated Midi Skirt in Gold, J Crew (info HERE) love THIS one as well, also on sale!  | Lace Shell, Dolce & Gabbana (thrifted @ ThredUP) | Long Pearl Pendant, Heidi Carey (HERE) | Pour la Victoria ‘Daira’ Mule Pump in Papaya (LOVE this new color!), now 40% off at Nordstrom (HERE), note I did size UP from my regular size |  Bee Statement Ring, gifted from a dear friend | Earrings, Alexis Bittar

Now hop on over and check out these festive posts from my fellow blogger sisters; Nina, Cindy, Hilda and Robin to get you in the spirit of the holiday season!

Over the Hilda: http://overthehilda.ie/christmas-tradit…y-and-fripperies/ ‎

Julie from Fashion Trends and Friends takes us to Tuscon where we visit a little neighborhood called Winterhaven. This place takes outside home decor to an all new level! Festive and fun, you can check it all out in  >>  http://www.fashiontrendsandfriends.com/christmas-traditions-blog-loop/

Sharing a Journey, shares a story of how her tradition of baking cookies evolved when she her daughter was diagnosed with osteoporosis—-at the age of 13. Read her story at >>> www.sharingajourney.com/Christmas-Traditions

Hello I’m 50ish pulls out the Christmas Sweaters and whips up the most delectable Tiramisu for us right in her kitchen >>  http://helloim50ish.com/christmas-tradition-christmas-sweaters-and-tiramisu/

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