Christmas Traditions

We have been enjoying our December full of Christmas traditions new and old.

This is our Christmas to stay in town so that means it's our Christmas to get a Christmas tree. In the past we always drove up to Fallbrook to a Christmas tree farm to cut down our own tree (here, here, and here). Unfortunately that place closed, so this year we just picked out a tree from the nearby Christmas tree lot.

As much as I loved going and chopping down our own tree, it sure was quick and easy getting a tree this year. It took us exactly 30 minutes to drive there, pick one out, and come home. Then it took us another 30 minutes or so to get it decorated. Easy peasy!

The kids actually did most of the work putting on all the ornaments, so it really was easy!

Then last weekend we started a new tradition (at least I hope we keep it as a tradition) of watching a Christmas movie together with our jammies and hot cocoa (or hot chai tea in our case since that's what we prefer). This year we watched The Grinch with Jim Carrey. What a fun movie! We even let Ellie stay up for about half of it. She loves any movie that has a dog in it!

Last night we made our annual trek to a nearby neighborhood to visit Santa.

This sweet couple has been doing this for 26 years now, and every time we go I'm just amazed by their generous hearts. They give up several hours every night in December to delight so many kids in the community

Ellie actually had a fever so she looks a little out of it, but she was in awe of all of the lights.

Joey and Hannah love getting to talk to Santa although Joey wasn't sure it was the "real Santa." He thought maybe it was just the guy who lives at that house. Mom and Dad were noncommittal.

We didn't get Ellie too close to Santa because she was sick, but also because she would scream. She liked him okay from afar.

In addition to these Christmas traditions, we've been making cookies, doing our Jesse Tree, delivering gifts to our neighbors, and listening to lots of Christmas music. It's been a very blessed December already!