Christmas Traditions to Look Forward to Each Year

*Answer to the prompt at the bottom of the post. 🙂

In this ever-changing world, it’s a comfort to have things that you can count on to see you through the different stages of your life. Since many of us are creatures of habit, it’s pretty safe to assume we thrive on tradition.

This love of tradition, partnered with a fondness for lists, has me excited for the Christmas season as I eagerly anticipate the activities, sights, aromas, experiences, and FOOD that come with this time of the year.

Every year, we are hopeful for the wonder of Christmas, but the holidays also bring a bit of nostalgia. In this time of my life – when I have already lost a parent, raised one of my children to adulthood, and started to push half a century – I tend to have a hankering for customs that I enjoyed when I was much younger, when all my children were little, and when my dad was still around.

The celebration has decidedly adopted a bittersweet tinge to it, but it only compels me to cling tighter to old practices and make sure that they become traditions that endure. Admittedly, there was a time when my enthusiasm waned, but it has thankfully come roaring back. You can read all about it in this Medium article, My Holiday Mojo Gets a Second Wind.

Admittedly, I’m a Christmas fiend. I’m the type to binge-watch Hallmark Christmas movies even if they all basically have the same plot. I’m also obsessed with having seasonal goodies, so my family and I are surrounded by the tastes and smells associated with Christmas. I was worse when the kids were smaller. There were Christmas projects galore.

Since there is such a thing as burnout, I’ve learned to judiciously edit my Christmas bucket list in recent years. If it’s something I merely feel obligated to carry out on principle and not something we truly enjoy, I’m not keeping it. It’s best to only perpetuate traditions that truly hold value, no matter how subjective. These practices will not stress, but, instead, help keep us present in the season, when it’s so easy to feel lost or overwhelmed.

Just to give you an idea, here are some of my favorite holiday traditions:

Bake a gingerbread house – This is a delicious and fun treat for the kids. Making glass windows from hard candy, decorating with royal icing and other sweets, and putting an LED tealight inside. The end product makes a great centerpiece for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner). It may not be the best-looking piece of decor, but it lends the right atmosphere. (Side note: we have to bake gingerbread men as well, or the house would get devoured as it’s being decorated.)
Drive around to look at lights – It’s time spent together, and it’s always delightful to see how people deck their homes with Christmas lights and other decor. We also drive through a Starbucks, which is something I associate with the season. Back in the day, it was partly for the planner and partly a holiday treat since I couldn’t justify blowing so much money on a drink I could make at home.
Have a hot chocolate night – We have Swiss Miss with marshmallows throughout the year, so how do we make the drink Christmassy? We just make it extra decadent with a candy cane, whipped cream, and sprinkles. We also pair it with a cinnamon-y treat like sticky buns or monkey bread and enjoy everything while watching a Christmas movie.
Read the Christmas Story – It’s good to remind ourselves of the true reason for the season. We celebrate so much, but tend to forget what the holiday is really about. For muzak, we also put on a playlist of carols that are about the birth of Jesus Christ.
KARAOKE – Admittedly, this is a staple for any Filipino get-together. Still, it wouldn’t be a Christmas party or Noche Buena without the mic being passed around so everybody could have a turn singing their preferred tune. In the Philippines, you’ll hear a lot of Whitney Houston and yacht rock.

I didn’t bother featuring traditions that are already a given, like decorating, gift-giving, or attending Christmas parties. That’s not to say they’re less significant. I just wanted to specify activities that could add to these already expected traditions.

You’ll also notice that I didn’t include traditions related to winter. That’s because I live in the tropics, so, as much as I’d love to include making snow angels and having snowball fights, it’s simply not possible for me. I can simulate some cold-weather customs and adopt a tweaked hygge environment, but there’s understandably a limit to these efforts. That’s why it’s important to customize your own traditions to suit you personally.

What traditions do you look forward to every Christmas season?

You can explore more ideas on making the most of the holidays with our Christmas traditions spark list (winter activities included for those with four seasons).