This is How I Roll: Tradition Edition

We have several holiday traditions, just like every family, I'm sure. Today I thought I'd share a few....

Just after Thanksgiving each year I get out our collection of Christmas hats. They are up for grabs for anyone who wants to wear one anytime for the rest of the season.

I always encourage the kids to wear them when we get our tree.

 We always select the biggest fresh cut tree we can possibly fit in our home.

Every single year Nakiah wants to be hands on in the selection process and every year he narrowly avoids getting crushed by a falling tree.

Once we get the tree home we put on National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (our family favorite) and I break out the egg nog and Hottie says the joke, "little full, lot a sap," about 5 times regarding the tree. (a la Chevy Chase).

This year it was especially fitting because our tree is huge and has these crazy long branches.

Sometimes he thinks he is Chevy Chase in National Lampoons.

The kids always start to decorate the (bottom front half) of the tree and argue about who gets to put up which ornament. The whole process seems to take all night and by the end I am ready for it to be done already. (Maybe next year I will wise up and make it a new tradition to decorate the tree the day after  we bring it home.)

The boys always ask if they can put the star on top, even though they know very well that Hottie puts it on every year.... and every single year I make a comment about how I want to look for a new topper. (then miss the boat by waiting for a sale)

 Traditionally our tree would have ribbon around it, but Hottie didn't think we needed it this year.... (I'm bringing it back next year. It takes the tree up a notch visually, I think.)

We also have a small selection of Christmas attire and will wear red/green whenever possible in December...

Especially while making our gingerbread houses....

(some of us are just too cool to wear red or green or hats of any kind... but not too cool to decorate.)

We also make a lot of treats during this time... this year I added a few more easy ones to the list.

We decorate sugar cookies, make caramels, attempt fudge (finally pulled it off this year!), etc. etc.

We make those with an endless loop of Christmas tunes and movies going on in the background.... all while sipping hot chocolate or egg nog or spicy cider from our holiday mugs...

We also like to read a lot of different Christmas stories. 

A new tradition that I am so glad we started this year is the Elf on the Shelf.... I am sure you've heard about this unless, of course, you've been living under a rock. We named ours Buddy McElfersteen. He is bananas. I love him. So do the kids.

He bungie jumps and ziplines and has dates with barbies, among other things. Evareaux keeps reminding me not to touch him, or he'll lose his magic. 

Another new tradition is listening to Christmas records. I have memories of my Dad playing records for us growing up and how happy that made me so it dawned on me that I should do this for my kids. They are loving it!

Our final Christmas tradition is opening one gift on Christmas Eve. (alway pajamas) Every year Nakiah asks if he can pick which gift he wants to open instead (to avoid getting lame pajamas) and every year I consider it but then realize he can just wait until the morning for his other gifts! Rotten kid! haha.

Oh, and I like to read The Night Before Christmas to them and watch the original Grinch on Christmas Eve. So! That's us! Not too exciting, but memorable for the kids I think.  I wonder which ones they will choose to carry on with their families later in life. What traditions do you have?