Christmas Traditions, in November…

We have quite a few Christmas traditions we look forward to every year with our little family. A couple years ago, I started feeling like we cram so much into December and try to have all of these traditions, that I wondered if we were over-doing it. With both the girls’ birthday being in December, family parties, church and school performances, plus our traditions, the month is BUSY. I worried that maybe we were running here and there and everywhere and not really even enjoying everything or taking the time to focus on the true meaning of the season. I took a long look at our traditions and thought about what we could cut out.

Truth is, there was nothing I really felt like we should stop or cut out. However, I did decide this year, to get a jump start on some things to make the weeks in December seem a little less busy. It turned out to be the perfect solution.

In fact, we even started in November! As luck would have it, the only time slot available to do our Santa pictures with the photographer that we’ve used the past two years was BEFORE Thanksgiving! That felt kind of weird seeing Santa before we’d even had Thanksgiving yet, but it was kind of neat, too.

Grammy & Pop met us there and Tucker was excited to see they were there to see Santa, too!

The whole thing is precious and I wouldn’t trade it or my story board pictures for anything. They are my favorite Christmas decorations and will be priceless treasures through the years as our kids grow up, I know.

2014 & 2015

& this year’s

Another tradition and favorite of my Christmas decorations is the kids’ hand and footprint art we do every year at Do Art. This year, we continued the tradition. Typically we go during the day, so this was the first year DW went with us. We went on a Friday night in November, and Adam, Lauren, Parker & Quinn joined us. It took me forever to decide on something that would work with all three of the kids’ prints. Having DW there was a huge help, but I think he and Adam are already calling their deed done and they don’t want any part of it next year. Ha. The platter turned out great once I picked it up and I loved adding a larger piece to our collection this year.

Another favorite…(I guess the truth is they’re all my favorite) is our family date to the Hallmark store for the kids to pick out ornaments. This year AB chose Scooby Doo (she’s become obsessed with all the old cartoons), Mamie got a pink troll (her favorite movie right now), and Tucker got a piece of heavy equipment. We always pick one for Cooper too, and this year his is a wreath with shotgun shells on it.

We also had our Christmas card pictures taken in November,

and I even ordered our cards early, too! The proof of the front & back…

It felt so good to get so many things checked off before December even started and I feel like because it was all spaced out, we enjoyed it all even more than usual. I’ll definitely try to do the same next year.

~amw~