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What are some of your Christmas Traditions? 2020, of course, is messing with some of ours. We’re missing out on our annual Nutcracker viewing, carriage ride to look at lights, and believe it or not, Sesame Street Live ha! I am so thankful that over the years Al and I have created traditions for ourselves and our children in the form of small gifts that are displayed throughout the holiday season. Unpacking these at the beginning of the holiday season and looking at the items from each year is so so special. And this year in particular, they are truly one of the few traditions we are able to keep. Here are a few things we do; perhaps you can start a few of these in your own home this year!

I’ve teamed up with my dear friend Chrissy who designs and makes all of the gorgeous jewelry over at Happy Magnolias to showcase some of our Christmas Decor Traditions along side her beautiful bracelets. All of these are for sale - just DM her! Last day to order to arrive by Christmas is 12/14.

Annual Ornament Exchange

I love beautiful glass ornaments on my tree. Since we moved into our first home and had our first real tree, Al and I have each given the other a Christopher Radko ornament that in some way represents the year. For example, last year I gave him a family of four owls since it was our first Christmas as a family of four. And he gave me a beautiful blue nativity to represent my growth and friendships I made in my faith last year. I can’t wait to see what he picked out for me this year. I know I got him a good one! Opening these might be the only actual surprise gift we have under the tree for each other. We usually just buy stuff the other tells us they need and wrap it (Gifts is last for both of our Love Languages). While I love and treasure the detail and crafstmanship of Radko ornaments, you could totally create this tradition with your partner or children with any old ornament. Search for “old world Christmas onraments” and you’ll find tons of $10-$20 glass ornaments for just about every subject. Below, I’ve linked some of my favorite Radko ornaments. These also make great gifts for newlyweds, baby’s 1st Christmas, newly engaged, new dog etc. (PS you’ll want to wire these to the tree with these hooks rather than using a string.)

Engraved Snow Globes

I always loved when my mom gave us something special when we were children and then we were able to take it to our own homes as adults. If only my collection of Muffy Bears could somehow go in my decor now. :) My mother in law did such a great job of this with Al, keeping many of his old Christmas ornaments and it is so fun to have them on display in our own home. When Deaon was one (so his second Christmas technically), I got him an engraved snow globe from here and I’ve done it every year since. Emilia got her very own last year for her first Christmas. They all have their name and the year on them. I love that they both have their own unique item each year to open to add to their collection. Right now they’re all displayed beautifully in our family room where they get A LOT of use, but as the collection grows they’ll probably end up in their bedrooms. I usually get the Make A Wish engraved snow globes from this site, but this year they don’t have them! So we’re going a little more playful and getting some character ones this year, but hey what a good representation of 2020: whatever is fun and easy and…available. These are not the cheapest but, I always buy them on Black Friday. You could do this tradition with any type of snow globe though - especially if you don’t engrave it. Homegoods always has a ton! Below I’ve linked some of our favorite ones that you can personalize.

Blue & White Christmas

I have been slowly building my collection of blue and white chinoiserie pottery over the years, mostly by asking for a piece (like this one) from my mom for Christmas. Now that my collection is large enough to be a substantial part of our decor, I love adding blue and white ornaments and this nativity to our holiday decorations. I love the contrast of the blue and white ornaments on the tree next to the deep reds and greens of more traditional pieces. Finding holiday accessories and touches that blend in with your existing decor can really make everything in your home look cohesive so it’s not like you’re in a whole different house come every December. Below, I’m linking several of our favorite blue and white holiday pieces. You won't believe the good prices on many of these!

Hanging Christmas Cards

One of the biggest joys in my life is receiving Christmas cards. Seriously. I rip open the envelopes with such excitement you’d think that there is money inside or something. Growing up, my mom displayed our Christmas cards from years past on the buffet of our dining room. I vividly remember walking by looking at the photos of my sister and I in our matching holiday dresses. It was so fun to look back! In our home now, we have all of our cards going back as far as our wedding hanging on a string in our dining room. Below them I string up all the cards we receive from friends and family. The kids love looking at their friends up on our wall. Additionally, my sister hole punches all of the cards she receives and puts them on a ring to bring out each season. I think we’re going to do that this year too! To hang the cards, I just use butchers twine, thumb tacks, and these mini clothespins to display them. Tip: hang the string up tight - the weight of the cards will naturally cause it to arch a little.

I hope some of our traditions have inspired you to to start some new ones of your own. The holidays can be very overwhelming, but having some easy things you do each year can make it seem a bit more routine to execute and plenty magical.

And how beautiful are all of these fun Happy Magnolias bracelets?! I had so much fun playing around making different stacks. The different sizes and colors and textures of beads are just too fun. They make great gifts and you still have time to order before Christmas - she’s taking orders up to December 14th. DM her on her instagram page to order.