The Life of Liam & Mason: Christmas Traditions

A couple years ago we started a new tradition, going out to the woods and looking for the perfect Christmas tree. Well this year Christmas kind of snuck up on us! We just didn't have an open weekend to go into the woods and find a tree. So we went to the next best place, a tree lot in town that I went to every year growing up. We met Grandpa Dave and Grandma Terry there and picked out the perfect tree!

Ready to decorate!

Our little helper!

Another tradition we like to do (or I should say "I" like to do) is decorating the inside of the house with Christmas decorations and hanging the stockings. We also cover the outside of the house with lights. This year daddy got off easy and I only put up the lights around the deck. I was going to have daddy hang icicle lights around the whole house but again we ran out of time. So next year we'll be hanging lights everywhere! Nothing like the Griswold's but it will be close. Just kidding, daddy WOULD NOT be happy with me if I made him put up that many lights plus I wouldn't want to pay that electric bill!

Hanging lights has always been a favorite tradition of mine. Growing up I remember Grandpa Dave going out to hang our Christmas lights. He had a staple gun in hand and would always wear shorts or his sweats pulled up to his knees. He'd cover the house with lights. We would also drive to nearby neighborhoods looking at all their lights.

Celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve has always been my side of the family's tradition and daddy's side celebrates on Christmas Day. So it normally works out we can get together with everyone. But it's getting harder and harder to do this as our family grows and we and our siblings are having kids of our own. One of my fondest memories growing up is Christmas Eve at the ranch (aka - Great Grandma Garnett's house). We always had a crew with all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We didn't have enough floor space for everyone so we'd have to do presents in two waves, the kids and the adults. Then all the cousins would bunk up in the upstairs bedrooms and get ready for Santa Claus to arrive. We were always giddy and excited that we never went to sleep right away. We'd talk and goof off until one of our parents came up the stairs and told us to go to sleep!

This year we went to my Aunt Staci and Uncle Mike's house for Christmas Eve. We've done this the last couple years and we always have a lot of fun. Grandpa Dave and Grandpa Terry were there and even Uncle Ryan got to join us this year. Aunt Sandi, Uncle Jay, cousins Kody and Alex, and Jenneca and Jesse were there too. It was a fun evening with great food, presents, and a game of Jeopardy that cousin Dani put together. It was guys vs. girls and the guys won but they definitely cheated! Rematch next year!!

Hanging out after dinner

Present Time!

Loving Dani's fur hat!

At the end of the night, we saved one special present for you, a present containing new Christmas Jammie's, a Christmas movie, and snacks to have with your movie. This is a new tradition we just started this year! You wore your Christmas Jammie's to bed and we watched the movie the next morning. Such a fun tradition we'll be doing every year!

Then we hosted Christmas morning at our house. Grandpa Dave & Grandma Terry came over along with Uncle Ryan and Grandpa Mike, Nana B, and Uncle Josh. But before everyone arrived we exchanged stockings and you saw what Santa brought you. A Hummer!

Seeing it for the first time!

Taking it for a cruise!

When everyone arrived we had a yummy brunch making Great Grandma Erickson's homemade donuts and Conner egg casserole. I'm hoping to make this tradition too, every few Christmas's at least. We spent the rest of the morning relaxing and opening presents.