Today’s Topic: Family Traditions

Some of my favorite memories from my childhood were Christmas traditions. We would go to my grandparents house on Christmas Eve I loved being with everyone and my uncle would play the piano and we would all sing together. On Christmas Day we would go to my dad’s side of the family and skate on the lake, ice fish, or stay inside if there was a blizzard. Now, all of my grandparents and my husband’s grandparents have passed on and we live a thousand miles away from our extended family.

When we moved to Colorado in 2004, we started to create some new traditions. We merged some old with our new and found our way. Now, Colorado feels like home to us and our kids like to stay in Colorado for Christmas and we have stayed in Colorado for the holidays for years.

Here are some of my favorite Christmas things to do:

• Send presents to people who cannot be with us in person.
• Drop off blankets with Blankets for Denver for the homeless shelter.
• Donate to every red Salvation Army bucket I see.
• Watch White Christmas with my husband.

I put my Christmas trees up right after Thanksgiving and I also have a Nativity scene in my home. We hang stockings.

We usually put lights up on the outside of the house, but the last two years we have used the laser light projection and love, love, love it. (My husband, especially loves it- we have lights in minutes and no ladders).

We like to drive around our town as a family and look at the Christmas lights.Come home and have hot chocolate. Grown ups might add peppermint schnapps.

I make homemade fudge with my Grandma’s recipe with no nuts.

The kids and I make cookies together (the are grown, my youngest is 16, but they still love it). We spend an afternoon dipping everything in melted almond bark.

I like to drive during the day with my sun roof open and holiday music is on the radio.

Over December 24 and 25 we follow traditions that we have created over the years, but are open to changes when they make sense for everyone.

• Christmas Eve celebration is a soup and appetizer buffet at our home. I am making red velvet cheese cake this year for dessert. Then candlelight service at church. We open one present each on Christmas Eve.
• Santa fills the stockings (cool socks are favorite stocking-stuffers). Grown up kids stay overnight.
• Christmas Morning: Open presents, then Starbucks run. When we get back we have Mimosa’s, breakfast burritos and cinnamon rolls.
• Christmas Day: Dinner is ham, potatoes, brussel sprouts, salad, and pie (could be apple, cherry, pecan, lemon merengue, chocolate silk) Grown ups enjoy an assortment of wines.
• We relax, sometimes go for a walk if its nice. We play games and sometimes we will even go to a movie at night if there is something we all want to see.

The most important thing to me is the spirit of Christmas. Whenever I get busy doing something, I remember my “why”. If I am decorating the tree, I do it because I know I enjoy my home when it looks like Christmas. When I am cooking, I focus on how happy everyone is eating together and celebrating. When I am heading to church, I focus on celebrating the birth of Christ. When I buy presents, I focus on the feeling of giving generously. I love being in the moment. I don’t focus on perfection. I focus on being fully present.

What are your holiday traditions?

If you liked this, you will love the 30 Days of Happiness Challenge

Coaching Special: Book a free Grow Your Biz Breakthrough Session or nook a free  Live Your Joy Strategy Session

Note: Today is Day 11 of 12 Days of Christmas on my blog. This has become an annual tradition and I love doing it. Each day, now through Dec 17, I will feature an article that will help you celebrate the season, achieve your goals, and maintain your inner peace. On December 23, I will be announcing a $50 Amazon gift card winner based on all of the comments on the blog between Dec 5 and Dec 17. You will be entered one time for each comment. You could be entered in the drawing up to 12 times.

I would love to hear your thoughts, please comment below.

Sheri Kaye Hoff

Coach, Trainer, and Author, Sheri Kaye Hoff, is a Business Coach known for inspiring massive action and a catalyst for personal and business growth, joy, and profits in a way that is fun, relaxing, and fulfilling, Sheri inspires people to do the work they love and make more money. Sheri helps business owners and professionals to relax into success. She uses both spiritual and practical techniques to obliterate blocks and create dramatic change. She is a business, leadership, happiness, and inner game expert. She has overcome nearly dying, and the loss of her brother at an early age. She has made it her life mission to discover the keys to happiness and success and then share them with her clients and community. Learn More About Sheri