This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and JCPenney.
However, all opinions expressed are my own.
Family Christmas traditions are the best.
I was looking through some of our old pictures from recent years and was surprised to realize just how many traditions we actually maintain. Apparently, we like to do the same things year after year. π
Some things we’ve been very intentional about doing each year and other things…just sort of end up happening again and again.
I like that.
Our Family’s Christmas Traditions
One of our favorite things to do is decorate gingerbread houses each and every year. This is a must-do event for us, and I hope my kids continue this tradition when they have their own families.
We don’t look for perfection when it comes to decorating the houses. We’re aiming for family togetherness and a fun time, overall.
Besides decorating gingerbread houses, we also love to…
- Make Christmas cookies
- Drive down a local street that’s famous for its Christmas story displays and lights (my parents drove us down this same street when I was a kid)
- Marvel at the houses that go over the top with holiday lights and inflatable characters (the inflatables seem to get bigger and better every year!)
- Drive through the Phillip’s Park Festival of Lights display
- Set up a nativity arrangement
- Pick out a new tree ornament that represents our family
- Drink hot chocolate
- Decorate the Christmas tree and hang Christmas decorations inside and outside of our home
- Go Christmas shopping (JCPenney is a great place to shop this time of year)
- See Santa Claus
I could cry because this year we won’t be doing most of what I mentioned above. This year we’ll be spending Christmas at the Children’s hospital. David, my four year son who recently went through a bone marrow transplant, is in isolation in his room, and there’s no way we’re all going to be able to be together on Christmas.
That’s okay, though. Knowing this is our reality for ‘Christmas 2013’ gives me a greater appreciation for all the years we’ve been able to be together as a family for Christmas and create such wonderful family traditions.
DID YOU KNOW? JCPenney wants to share the spirit of Christmas β the real spirit that lives in Latino homes in theΒ US, a celebration of real-life holiday traditions.
This short video gives a glimpse of what a real latino Christmas looks like for a young girl named Camila.
Winner Announcement of the $50 JCPenney Gift Card Giveaway
In my lastΒ post about JCPenney, I shared a giveaway for a $50 JCPenney gift card.Β The winner of that gift card has been randomly chosen and notified.
Congratulations, Laura! I hope you enjoy your next shopping trip to JCPenney!
What are some of your family’s favorite Christmas traditions?
We do traditions that I used to do as a kid too. This week we will be working on baking cookies and making candy for all of our friends and neighbors. It’s something that I used to do with my mom. We will also be going to see Christmas lights this year, my son loves them.
I know this Christmas will be so hard not to be together with your family. But it may also be one of the best since David received the life saving transplant he needed. We are continuing to pray for him to get stronger each day and for the transplant to be successful.