I love reflecting on the Christmas season. While it’s over now, and we are in rest and relaxation mode at the Taylor home, I relish in the last bits of December as we keep our decorations up just a little bit longer and continue to keep pinning up beautiful the Christmas cards and our friends’ family portraits on our card garland at the stairs. I will keep burning our favorite strudel-smelling candles every morning at breakfast so as to convince us that the magic of the season is still in the air – even after all the real baked goods have been devoured to the last crumb.
Here are some traditions that we enjoy.
Making Gingerbread People
Everyone made their own (Ari had very little assistance), which made them extra-specially beautiful to me. I didn’t even mind that they actually ate all those layers of fondant and (in Ari’s case) got equal amounts of frosting on herself as on the cookie.
Bella plucked the red fingernails off my sassy gingerbread woman (meet “Vixen”).
True to form, Bella… Naughty little elf.
2012
2009 (a little flashback fun)
Strolling amidst beautiful lights displays
This year, we visited the Temple lights in Mesa, which were amazing as always. We didn’t go to Zoolights this year but that’s another favorite. Although, truth be told, our our neighborhood lights hold their own, and our kids never fail to be impressed on our night walks either. They’re still so full of wonder.
Ari couldn’t get enough of the babies.
Drinking too much hot cocoa
Bella would tell you that we didn’t have nearly enough. I beg to differ.
Baking and decorating Christmas cookies for our neighbors
This is the unfortunate remains of leftover Halloween candy, which I so cleverly hid in the bottom oven. 
I am not a baker by any means, but we can whip out some out of this world good Christmas cookies. And an apple cobbler that has people breaking their diets left and right. ‘Tis the season.
This is serious business.
His eyes, how they twinkled… he was chubby and plump… like a bowl full of jelly.
Mailing Good Cheer
Here was our Christmas card this year:
Watching Christmas movies
This year we watched a version of "A Christmas Carol” and “Mr. Kreuger’s Christmas” as well as a couple shorter ones over and over. Which ones are your favorites? I’m open.
Advent Fireside Christmas Stories
We read one Christmas story for each of the twelve nights of Christmas all cozied up by the fire. The themes of the stories that we tried to emphasize were gratitude, selfless love, and the true meaning of Christmas.
New Photo Ornament
If every Christmas tree has a theme, ours is a family tree. For every year that passes, we add our most recent family photo to a frame ornament on the tree. This year, we have eight, beginning with Jake and my first Christmas as a married couple.
Elf on the Shelf
His name is Jingle, and he came to our family four nights before Christmas Eve this year, by way of Ari’s friend and aide in school, Mrs. Oliver. He isn’t pictured, but he has been up to no good. I swore I wouldn’t aide and abet an elf in my house… but I succumbed. He has been spied making snow angels in my flour, keeping company with scantily clad Barbie dolls, and soaking in marshmallow bubble baths. Where did he ever come up with these ideas? Jingle must be spending too much time on Pinterest.
What are your most treasured Christmas traditions?
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