How To Create The Ultimate Family Tradition This Holiday Season

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #jomobliss #CollectiveBias

The vision is beautiful in your head. You and your family dancing around the Christmas tree while you decorate your home, share in holiday laughs, finish every last preparation for the joyous holiday ahead, enjoy a beautiful meal together, and finish up with a classic Christmas movie. There are no tears, no stress, no frustration… just patience, happiness, and joy!

While the vision is beautiful (and may even work flawlessly for some), the reality is that while as a family you may love decorating together for the holiday season; you may NOT all wish to spend endless time and meticulous precision on every decoration.

So, why make it so difficult trying to cram everything into one large family event?

Instead, create the ultimate family tradition this holiday season by picking out your favorite and most meaningful family decorations, incorporating a yummy (yet easy) meal, and tie in additional holiday fun. This way, your day will truly be how you visioned in your head- filled with fun, laughter, and memories.

Wondering where to start? Let me show you a glimpse into our Ultimate Family Tradition when it comes to kicking off the holiday season. 

What you’ll need? Dig out your holiday decorations, secure your favorite holiday book and movie, find those keepsakes, and head to Walmart for the following items (or click the photo below to shop directly). More details and Ibotta offers to earn case back for all below!

 

Most Meaningful Family Holiday Decor

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, it may come as no surprise to you that I go a little crazy in the holiday decorating department. So much so, that I know with great confidence my family would grow very tired, and very bored helping me decorate each and every room in our home and unpack each and every decoration.

(Photo below shows about half of our holiday decorations coming out of storage.)

So instead, on our special decorating day, I dig out the decorations loved most by our family and let the fun begin.

Stockings

Nothing says ‘family Christmas decorating’ quite like putting out your stockings. Whether it be on the mantle, staircase, or in your bedrooms… the tradition is always a tried and true way to say “the holidays have arrived!”

Putting out the keepsakes

Every family has special holiday keepsakes that trigger memories and love. (If not… making your own may be easier than you think!) When my Grandfather was alive he spent much of his retired years playing the role of Santa Claus for families and businesses alike. So much so that in our family it was hard to think of Santa without thinking of him. As a result, after my Grandfather went to Heaven we decided to create a few special Christmas memories with him in mind.

Like framing this photo of him and placing it on our bookcase. And last year’s snow globe (a new one for the year ahead always to be opened as a family on Christmas Eve).

We also display his Santa coat on a chair near our kitchen table. Then include a framed printable I created about saving an empty seat for your loved one this Christmas (you can download the printable for free here). 

Decorating the Christmas Tree

In our household we tend to go a bit crazy with Christmas trees. 5 to be exact. While this may be a bit much to fit into one day filled with endless other traditions, we always strive as a family to decorate at least one together. This is also the time we stop for a hot cocoa break.

We opt for the Swiss Miss® Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix because it is rich and creamy. We then cover the top with Reddi-wip® Original Whipped Topping due to its great real dairy taste. Lastly we spring on some sprinkle and red hots for the holiday vibe.

• Ibotta deal for Swiss Miss- Buy 1 and earn $0.50 cash back
• Ibotta deal for Reddi-Wip- Buy 2 and earn $1.50 cash back

Breaking for Non-Decorating Fun

After the Christmas tree is complete and our bellies are full of hot chocolate, we opt for additional family fun. Playing in the snow, coloring, games, etc. Taking a break post tree always seems to refresh ourselves and keep the fun alive.

Remembering to Pause

Next, we follow up with a favorite Christmas story. One in particular family tradition for us is reading the “Pause” where we are reminded to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the holiday season ahead. Finishing off by decorating the tree with the final “Pause” present ornament.

Time to Eat

Admittedly, with a day jam-packed with fun and making of memories, I find myself having little time to prepare a big meal. Instead, we have implemented the family tradition of this warm and easy comfort meal that the whole family LOVES.

This yummy meal includes a quick and delicious salad with our go-to dressing of Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing, due to it’s unique blend of oil, vinegar and vibrant herbs and spices (also voted the number one Italian dressing brand!).

• Ibotta deal– Buy 2 and earn $0.75 cash back

Our main course is none other than the comforting Marie Callender’s® Chicken Pies. Made with tender white-meat chicken, savory vegetables, and made-from-scratch gravy – all wrapped in a golden, flaky crust. Comfort food at it’s finest, and easiest in that you simply put it in the microwave for 10 minutes and are done. Win! Furthermore, I adore the the fact that something about Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie makes me feel the joy of being home with family. 

• Ibotta deal– Buy 3 and earn $1.50 cash back

Finishing the Day with a Movie and Popcorn

Once the tree is decorated, our bellies are full, the memorable Christmas decor is displayed, and the stockings are hung; we sit down as a family to enjoy popcorn (with Christmas sprinkles on top of course) and snuggle up near the tree to watch some Christmas classics. Our go-to popcorn of choice is Orville Redenbacher’s® Movie Theater Butter Popcorn because it is a delicious, light, and fluffy snack that is perfect for movie night. The buttery popcorn will make you feel like you are at the theaters! Furthermore, we love the no artificial preservatives, flavors, or dyes.

• Ibotta deal– Buy 1 and earn $0.50 cash back

Reflecting on the Day

Each and every year this ultimate family tradition just becomes more and more magical. Perhaps it is the anticipation, the growing ages, the memories made, or simply the undivided family time spent together. Regardless the reason, the day creates the dream family tradition to kick off the holiday season. From then on out in the days to follow, I’m free to finish off the 4 other trees and remaining Christmas decor. Should other family members desire to help- great, though it isn’t needed and they can come and go as they please- resulting in a joyous memory for all!

Looking for even more family traditions for the holiday season? Check out my posts here, here, and here!

Do you have a special family tradition you implement every holiday season? I’d love to hear it!