Although you might have some favorite holiday traditions you already integrate into your celebrations, it’s nice to add some new ones from time to time to spice up the holiday season.

Creating Christmas traditions for your home will make this year extra special & memorable, in a good way ;) We all need that.

Every country & culture has their own unique Christmas traditions. From the style in which you trim your tree to the way you exchange your gifts.

Christmas traditions create an impression in your memory allowing you to savor the feeling long after it’s over.

Sometimes it’s nice to open your mind to incorporating new traditions. I hope you will consider implementing some of these traditions to enrich your holiday & simplify your preparations.

Here are some simple traditions to add this year that are sure to please everyone…

1. Christmas Morning Treat- Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree

I discovered this idea back in the 1980’s. It was in the holiday issue that Pillsbury published each year. It was such a huge hit the first time I made it with my family that they requested it year after year.

I have always used a store bought brand, although I have considered making them from scratch. But as you know, there is already plenty to do to prepare for Christmas, why add another project.

For decades it was the Pillsbury brand, now I use an organic version by either Immaculate or Annie’s. Honestly, they are all very good & make our Christmas morning easy & are a delicious treat to look forward to.

It requires 2 packages of your favorite cinnamon rolls & some red & green sugar to adorn the tree. Place them close together on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment, forming your Christmas tree & bake according to the directions on the package.

Sometimes I add a maraschino cherry to the center of each roll except the trunk to signify an ornament. I do this before I place them in oven. Once they cool slightly add the frosting & sprinkle with sugar.

My son & daughter & their families look forward to this yummy treat every Christmas. Often they take over the preparation. Not a single present is opened until we have our cinnamon rolls & coffee.

It’s been a fun & very easy tradition to start off Christmas day.

2. Line the Walkway with Paper Luminaries

Decades ago my sister would host Christmas Eve every year. As we drove to her home we would drive through a village that lined their walkways with paper luminaries. It made the 30 minute drive extra special for our family.

Years later, in the 90’s I moved to this village, although they were no longer implementing this Christmas Eve tradition. About 10 years ago I joined a charity group and discovered they were the Source of the Christmas luminary but our particular chapter had stopped selling them. Since other chapters still sold them I decided to purchase several kits and reintroduce them to our village.

We started lining our driveway & front walkway with them on Christmas Eve. There is something beautiful about seeing the glowing luminaries from dusk to dawn. Neighbors & people driving by traveling to church or visiting family can enjoy them as we did all those years ago.

I now see them throughout our village again & I am glad that we were the one’s to rekindle the tradition. It’s such an easy & illuminating tradition to implement.

3. Just One Special Christmas Cookie Recipe

Making Christmas cookies has always been an enjoyable Christmas tradition. I remember helping my Mom, now 93 years old, making Classic Spritz Cookies, Decorated Sugar Cookies, Candy Cane Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies ( my personal favorite) , Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Gingersnaps, Kolache, Chocolate -Dipped Shortbread, Pinwheel Cookies… just to name a few. We would bake for weeks leading up to Christmas. We even had a special freezer to preserve them until Christmas. That’s how much we loved sweets.

With 5 children Mom knew these would be gone as soon as they touched her festive, Spode Christmas Tree 3-tiered cookie plate. I followed in her footsteps & over the years I would make a dozen different kinds to share with family & friends, sometimes making an extra batch or two for a cookie exchange. As time has moved on & I have learned the consequences of overindulging during the holidays I’ve switched to a simpler approach. I only make one kind of cookie. This has become my new tradition.

Simplify without eliminating this favorite family tradition.

I know, at first it’s hard to pick your favorite, but remember, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Take a poll & make one favorite or surprise your family with yours. Making only one type of Christmas cookie is extra special & no one will feel like they need to go on a juice cleanse in January. Moderation in all good things, including Christmas Cookies makes for a good life.

Creating Christmas traditions for your home shouldn’t be overcomplicated.

4. Wrap the Entrance that Leads to Your Christmas Presents

I heard about this idea on Gwen Stefani’s Christmas Special a few years ago. Her parents have always wrapped the opening to the room leading to their Christmas presents with Christmas paper making it extra exciting to burst through & discover what Santa has left for them. She has carried on this tradition with her three sons.

I introduced this tradition to our home in 2017 with our first Grandchild, Sloane. She was just weeks old, as you can see in the photo, so she had no idea but her parents loved it. This year she is 3 and bursting at the seams with energy. It will be fun to see her popping through this year. I’ll be updating this photo & maybe with a video.

We now have another Granddaughter & a Grandson on the way. This will be a fun tradition to carry on throughout the years. I have a feeling this will be a tradition they will grow very fond of.

5. Toast Family from Afar

Years ago, I was on a holiday house walk with my Mom in Oak Park, IL. This is a gorgeous area near Chicago known best for the home & much of the work of architect, Frank Lloyd Wright & the home of writer, Ernest Hemingway.

The homes in this community are truly one of kind. The tour included 6 homes. None of them were overly elaborate or large. But each family home had a special tradition in which the docents giving the tour shared with us. This particular one stayed with me.

The family was from Sweden. Many of their relatives still lived in Stockholm, Sweden, so at 1:00 PM Chicago time this family would face east as their family in Stockholm at 8:00 PM would face west. They all toasted with a glass of champagne as they said their native version of cheers, “Skal”, a wish for good health.

We have since adapted this tradition with our family when some of the members have been visiting other relatives. We pick a time that works for all time zones, face the direction/s of where they are & toast.

If there was ever a year that this tradition needed to be implemented it would be 2020.

We won’t be together with everyone this year but we can certainly adapt this simple tradition and it might just be over a Zoom Virtual gathering.

CHEERS!

I hope you Implement some of these simple christmas traditions. creating christmas traditions for your home will make lasting memories for years to come.

I would love for you to share some of your favorite christmas traditions.

I look forward to your questions & comments below & hope you “like” this blogpost.

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