Day 8 of the 12 Days of Christmas

How Traditions Provide Comfort During the Holidays

Holiday traditions often provide comfort and beautiful memories. Traditions offer stability and a valued connection to family.  As long as you remain flexible and allow that some years may change slightly or even a lot from traditions, you will be able to relax and enjoy the Holidays. Avoid perfect holiday syndrome (not sure if that is really a thing or if I just made that up). To me, it is when you are attached to perfection and portraying the ideal family and ideal Christmas. Life rarely measures up to the ideal.  Decide ahead of time that you will enjoy, relax, ask for help, accept help, and be flexible.

You can’t do and be everything to everyone all of the time.

The year I moved from Wisconsin to Colorado and left all of our extended family, we traveled back for Christmas. It was great seeing people, but very hectic and we arrived back home to Colorado the day after Christmas and opened our present to each other and to the kids. After that year, we decided it was important to stay in Colorado. We would still travel to see family but at other times of the year.  It was hard at first, to create some new traditions, but it all worked out. Part of letting it work out was letting go.

There are traditions we have created as a family in Colorado and some that I have loved and enjoyed all my life. Our traditions are in a state of change as well with grown children, significant others enter the picture. My goal is to not put pressure on my kids or have them worry if they can’t make it home for Christmas.

Some of my favorite holiday traditions :

Giving. I put money in every single Salvation Army bucket I see. I love donating blankets for homeless people. And I feel extra generous with tipping people in the service industry.

My Blog. I cherish doing my 12-day blogging event each year during the Holidays.

The Music. From Handels Messiah to contemporary songs like Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You my favorite tradition is the music. My Sirius XM satellite radio is set on channel 70 but I also like 4 for the old classics. My favorite song is O Holy Night loving Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, and Josh Groban’s versions. And Luciano Pavoratti and Placido Domingo’s duo of this song, all I can say is to be prepared to have your heart opened wide and maybe even have a few tears. The songs take me back to memories of caroling with my parents and attending Christmas programs throughout the years.

Church Services. My favorite is the candlelight service on Christmas Eve when the lights are dimmed, everyone is holding a candle and we all sing Silent Night acapella together.

Christmas Lights. For the past couple years we have enjoyed the lights at the Blossom of Lights at Denver Botanical Gardens on York Street (see pics below). We also love driving through neighborhoods and enjoying the lights.

The Tree. I put up several different size trees in my home.

The Stockings. Filling stockings with fun stuff is a joy. Christmas chocolate, cologne, jewelry, socks, hats, gift cards, are some things that may find their way into a stocking.

The Food. Homemade Christmas cookies are the best. Sugar cookies with frosting, rum balls, peanut butter balls, and fudge are a few yummy ones. Christmas Eve, we do appetizers and soup. Christmas day morning- breakfast burritos, mimosas, and cinnamon rolls, then Christmas dinner is ham, asparagus, roasted Brussel sprouts, potatoes, with pecan pie for dessert. We enjoy red wine with dinner. We have between 8 and 12 people over on Christmas Day.

The Drinks. Tom and Jerry’s. It is a batter that is everywhere in northern MN and WI, but almost impossible to find in Colorado. It has to be special ordered. The recipe I like is half shot of rum, a half shot of brandy, a cup of hot water and a large spoonful of Tom and Jerry Batter. Don’t stir, leave the batter on top and then sprinkle with nutmeg. Sip the drink through the batter which becomes foamy when it touches the hot water.

Shopping and Wrapping. I love picking out gifts for people and I shop the stores as well as online shopping. My kiddos love stuff from American Eagle, the Gap, Dick’s Sporting goods. Kohls is a shopping favorite, too, because there is something for everyone. I like picking a wrapping theme each year.

Opening presents. We do one present on Christmas Eve and the rest of the gifts on Christmas Day morning. I send presents to my parents and my in-laws.

“I don’t think Christmas is necessarily about things. It’s about being good to one another…it’s about kindness.” Carrie Fisher

“The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing others’ loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of the holidays.” W.C. Jones

“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” Charles Schultz

If you enjoyed this, you will really appreciate this article on what makes the holidays special.

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What is the 12 Days of Christmas Event?

Happy 12 days of Christmas! It’s that time of year on my blog where I post every day for 12 days with inspiration, motivation, blessings, and strategies for you as you live each day of your amazing life and as you create your own unique path to success.  Each day, I will also have a special offer, a freebie, or a quick audio.

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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