Christmas Memories and Traditions

It is the 5th and final day of the Holly Bloggy Christmas Bash and today's theme is Christmas Memories and Traditions. Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays and that is probably because I have so many great memories from this time of year as a kid. There are a few traditions that my parents always did with us that I would like to continue doing with my own family now.

I think most, if not all of our traditions are pretty common with many families, but I will share them anyway.

One of those traditions is decorating the house for Christmas on Thanksgiving night. (Or if it's been a really busy day, the day after Thanksgiving.)

Also getting pictures with Santa every year, of course!

Here is Dawson with Santa last year:


And here he is this year:


Going out to look at Christmas lights is something else that we will definitely be doing every year. I think I want to start something new with that though. I got the idea from a blog that I read, I wish I could remember the name of the blog so I could link back to them, but I don't. ***I got a comment from Live In Imagination and she read about this idea too and gave me the link to the blog that I first read about it in. Now I can give credit to Shell In Your Pocket for sharing this wonderful tradition in her blog so we can start doing it too. Thank you!*** Anyway, I'd like to start the "Harrison Express." Dawson and any future kids won't know when we are going out on the Harrison Express until they head up to their rooms thinking that they are about to go to bed, but then they will find a ticket on their bed, a ticket onto The Harrison Express. We'll all get bundled up, we'll each grab a thermos filled with hot chocolate and maybe some other goodies to snack on and we'll head out to the car to drive around and look at Christmas lights. I think that will make the memory of going to see Christmas lights extra special!

Another tradition that we had growing up that we've kept going with our family is opening up 1 present on Christmas Eve. And that present is always a new pair of pajamas. I LOVE getting new pajamas!

And last but not least, last year was Dawson's first Christmas and we bought him a "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament. He will continue to get a new ornament every year. This year he got a Bolt ornament that he actually helped pick out! He wouldn't stop pointing at it in the store and he loves dogs so I decided that should definitely be his ornament this year.

To read about more Christmas memories and traditions, head on over to Tidy Mom.