Tradition

Let’s face it, the calendar can easily fill up with holiday events and before you know it you are running from one to the next trying to keep up. Instead of saying yes to all of it, sit down with your family and take an honest look at the calendar. Prioritize the events or gatherings that are most important, create margin, and leave room for unexpected fun to pop up. Our scruffy city has SO many seasonal events going on, if you are looking to add a new tradition to your holiday season - check this out. Honor the season you are in by remembering traditions from your childhood and implementing new ones that fit your current season. Some people you may want to include in new traditions: elderly neighbors, classmates, co-workers, members of a social group you are a part of.

Idea from Jess- Invite friends over for a white elephant ornament exchange! Our friends look forward to this every year, it never disappoints. Early December, pick a night and grab a couple bottles of wine & some simple dessert. The host will provide matching gift bags & tissue paper for as many guests are coming. As each person arrives, they place their unwrapped ornament in a bag and put it under the tree. Draw numbers for the order of choosing & opening a gift. Allow each ornament to be stolen up to 3x before it is frozen, but the person who drew # 1 gets a chance to steal any opened (unfrozen) ornament at the end. It’s so fun and everyone leaves with a new ornament!

Decoration

There is no need to buy an entire array of new holiday decor every year. It’s fun to incorporate a new accent or special item every season, but your collection and taste will grow and be refined as the years go by. You may want to use more kid friendly decor while you have littles in the home, and if your household is more mature you can venture into the land of breakables and beautiful collectibles. Bringing the outside in can create a natural winter-y feel to your tablescape or mantle. If you enjoy crafting, make a simple yet festive holiday paper chain to add some whimsy to your living space.

Idea from Katie- I follow a handful of artists who create and sell hand painted ornaments each year. I anticipate the release of these collections each year, watching my email and social media for alerts becuase they often sell out quickly. This is a way to support small businesses and independent artists while slowly adding unique and meaningful pieces to my ornament collection over the years. A few I love are hand painted ceramic ornaments from artists: Cocoshalom and Lucy Reiser. Bradley’s usually carries hand painted ornaments made by Milk Moon House each year, Gather and Finch sell ornaments created by Jenny Parkhurst Designs.

Lucy Reiser Fine Art

Milk Moon House @ Bradley's

Cocoshalom Ornaments

Jenny Parkhurst Designs

Mindset

While the holidays are a time of joy & festivities, they can also bring a sadness of loved ones who are no longer present, seasons of life that are behind us, and the yearnings of our heart not yet realized. Laugh with your family and friends about memories from Christmases past and take a stroll down memory lane by looking through old photos. Be gentle to yourself and those around you - the holidays can bring a dynamic mix of emotions and memories. Take a walk, step outside, light a candle, do what you need to do to slow down in the midst of the hustle & bustle.

Idea from Taryn- Before anyone else in her house is awake, Taryn finds a spot to enjoy an Advent reading. Beginning the day in this way helps keep her heart and mind centered on what matters most. It is an act of rebellion against jumping into task mode first thing in the morning. The rest of the day may be chaotic or busy, but these quiet moments in the dark of the morning are full of stillness and calm. Advent resources to note: Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr., Advent Blocks for kids from Good Kind, The Advent Book- Heirloom Edition by Jack & Kathy Stockman, and Winter Fire: Christmas with G.K. Chesterson.

Another way to keep a healthy and grounded mindset is to focus on the needs of others. Here’s a few ways you could do that: