Wednesday, December 18, 2013

a few of my favorite things

I was digging through my Pinterest Christmas board this morning looking for the instructions to some salt dough ornaments I pinned over a year ago and I got so distracted looking at all the pretty pins. People, I just love Christmas. It's truly a magical time of year to really soak up the blessings in our lives and celebrate the precious gift of life we've been given.

I thought I'd share some ideas that I just love so much and can't wait to add as new traditions in our home. Most of them are kid-centered, I just I think Christmas just becomes even more special once you have your own kids to celebrate with!

1 | Christmas Card Collection

As Christmas cards come in from family and friends, punch a hole in the corner and use a big ring to hold them together. Then store them near your favorite gathering spot, whether it's on the kitchen table or the coffee table.

I love this idea as I'm always struggling for new ideas to display all the photo cards we get. Last year I attached them to ribbons and hung them on the wall, which worked ok but we have put our tree in a different spot this year and so I don't think that will work for us this time.

How do you display all the gorgeous photo cards you get?






2 | A Family Christmas Album

Purchase a big scrapbook and fill it with photos, recipes, and other keepsakes from each year. Keep it out from Thanksgiving to New Year and enjoy looking back at all those special memories.

Joanna posted this idea on her blog and I just love it! What a fun way to spend those cozy evenings sandwiched between the twinkling Christmas tree and the fire.

On a side note, this is the second Christmas idea/tradition that involves a coffee table. I guess I really need to find one for our space!


Purchase some official stationary from Santa Claus to leave special messages and add a little extra magic to Christmas for your kids.

We never did the whole 'Santa' things as kids, but I have always loved Santa. I still believed in him even though my parents always told me he wasn't real and we didn't get any gifts from him. I remember playing out in the back yard and looking up into the stars to watch for Rudolph :)

I would love to leave notes for Riggs from Santa, and will probably get some of this paper as soon as he's old enough to understand a little better. 

I love the ideas listed here for how to dress both comfy and cute on Christmas morning. Especially as I get older and am included in more pictures, I want to look somewhat nice/put together even first thing in the morning.

I think both of these outfits are pretty realistic as far as something I'd wear, although most of the price tags are pretty steep for PJs ;) 

What does your family wear Christmas morning? Do you have any traditions about special Christmas PJs?
5 | Christmas List Ornament

Make a miniature version of your children's Christmas lists or letters to Santa and stash them away inside a clear ornament with the year painted on the outside.

Definitely doing this one, I just love it!
6 | Year in Review

I pinned this quite a while ago and forgot about it until I saw that Kenzie from The Ashcraft Bunch had made an adorable version of this for her own Christmas cards this year!

I just love this as a way of keeping friends and family up to date on what's been going on in your life without having to sit down and write out a long letter.

So cute!

3 comments:

  1. I love everything about this list, but especially the year in review. I wish I could have thought of that, or am creative enough to do that.

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  2. I feel the same way! I wish I would have done it in time! And I even pinned this a year ago and then forgot about it, haha

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  3. Thanks Shayla! I need to find one of those rings so that I can do it! I can't wait to make some ornaments next year, yours turned out so gorgeous!!

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