One of the best parts of having our families nearby is that we’ve gotten to continue many of the holiday traditions that were established when my husband and I were growing up. Although we’ve had to adjust a bit as our own family has grown, it is so much fun now getting to include our children in those traditions.
My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is making my “famous” pumpkin cookies, which I’ve been doing for about 10 years now. Parker has helped me make them the last two years, and this year, Mia Belle will probably want to get in on the action :)
My family is on the smaller side, so as a kid, we would spend Thanksgiving either at home or at my aunt’s house with less than 10 people at our table. That hasn’t changed a whole lot; my mom will be cooking for just 8 of us this year. We’ll have a much more crowded table at Zach’s family Thanksgiving, which gives us the best of both worlds (and wayyy too much food…not that I’m complaining).
As much as I love Thanksgiving, our favorite holiday around here is Christmas. We always look forward to putting up our tree the day after Thanksgiving (although last year I got antsy and did it a week early), attending the Festival of Trees, and throwing our big annual party a few days before Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, we attend the children’s service at church and then stop by my aunt and uncle’s house before heading home to put out milk and cookies for Santa. First thing on Christmas morning, all of the grandparents come over to our house for a big breakfast and opening presents. Then we all take a break to recover before more of the family comes over in the afternoon.
Having these traditions in place keeps me feeling grounded even when this time of year is so incredibly busy. I can’t wait to kick them off tomorrow!
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This post is a part of my 23 Days of Gratitude series. Click here for the full list of posts. Thank you so much for reading and helping me celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving!
