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The Christmas season unfolds slowly in our home, beginning long before Christmas morning arrives. Over the years, we have found a rhythm in the little traditions that bring us joy. Some of them come from my childhood and others are traditions that Chad and I have created with our children. Our traditions begin in November and continue through to Christmas Day, it feels like opening a familiar storybook where each page holds its own kind of magic. These are the traditions that shape our holiday season and give our family something meaningful to look forward to every year. These are the traditions our family does each year, shared in the order we experience them…

Christmas Tree Cutting on the Grand Mesa

1. Cutting Down Our Christmas Tree

The first moment that truly feels like the beginning of Christmas is when we drive up into the mountains to cut down our tree. The air is crisp, and the world is quiet in a way that only snowy forests can be. The kids tumble out of the car with bundled excitement and immediately flop down to make snow angels while we scout for the perfect tree. There is something grounding about searching through rows of evergreens until one stands out. Bringing that tree home marks the official start of the season for us. Our house instantly smells like pine and adventure, and the process reconnects us as a family after a busy fall.

(You can read the full story of how we cut down our tree here → https://awaketoadventure.com/cutting-down-our-christmas-tree)

2. Decorating the House

Once the tree is safely inside and settled, it is time to decorate. We turn on Christmas tunes and our home transforms into a cozy Christmas hideaway over the course of a full day. I unwrap garlands and greenery while the kids sort through ornaments and enthusiastically place them all on the same branch, which I later spread out once they are asleep. It becomes part of the charm of letting the kids help. I love creating warm corners with twinkle lights and candles, and seeing the house take on that magical glow reminds me why decorating is one of my favorite parts of the season. To cap off the day we enjoy a cup of hot chocolate in a Christmas themed mug and watch a holiday movie.

3. Our Nativity Tradition

Each year after the decorating is mostly finished, the moment that means the most to me is setting out the nativity with my kids. We slow down, take a breath, and sit together as we unpack each figure. As we place Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the animals, we read ‘This is the Christmas Story’ by Kids Read Truth and talk about what it means that Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby.

The nativity always goes in the same spot and has become the spiritual center of our Christmas decorations. Arranging the figures one by one reminds us that everything we celebrate in this season points back to Him. It brings a sense of calm and reverence into our home and helps my kids understand the true meaning of Christmas in a hands on, memorable way.

4. Elf on the Shelf Shenanigans

When the house is decorated, our elf makes his long awaited return. The kids wake up each morning ready to search the house to see where he landed. Sometimes he is hiding in plain sight and other times he is tucked into the most unexpected spots. The elf adds a spark of magic to every morning in December and it creates so much joy in our home. Even on tired mornings, the kids are instantly energized because the first thing they want to know is what their elf has been up to.

5. Opening Our Advent Calendars

Once December begins, the advent calendars take over. Every morning the kids gather in the kitchen and before they even touch the little cardboard door, we all make our guesses about what the chocolate shape will be. Someone almost always guesses a snowman while someone else insists it has to be a mitten or a sleigh. It is such a tiny moment in our day, but the excitement of that little surprise adds so much joy to our mornings.

A quick tip if you are buying advent calendars for your kids. We get ours from Trader Joe’s because the chocolate is a different shape every day. Other stores carry advent calendars too, but many of them use the same shape for every chocolate. The variety makes it much more fun, especially for kids who love guessing games as much as mine do.

6. Angel Tree Giving

One tradition we introduced as the kids got older is choosing an Angel Tree tag from a local organization. Each child picks a tag and helps shop for the gifts. It is a meaningful way to remind them that Christmas is also about giving and looking beyond ourselves. They love choosing toys for another child, and we talk about how our small act can bring joy to someone else’s Christmas morning.

It has become one of the most grounding traditions of our season, helping balance the excitement of receiving with the importance of generosity.

7. Decorating Christmas Cookies

Another tradition we look forward to every year is decorating Christmas cookies. We learned early on that making the dough, baking the cookies, and decorating them all in one day is simply too much for kids. It turns into a marathon, not a memory. So now I bake the cookies the day before and let them cool overnight. This small change makes the entire experience calmer and far more enjoyable.

The next day, we pack everything up and head over to Grandma’s house for the decorating party. The kids put on aprons, which instantly makes it feel special and a little official. We set out a huge spread of decorating supplies, including every kind of sprinkle imaginable. I also make five or six colors of icing using the recipes from SallysBakingAddiction.com, which always turn out beautifully. We lay out small knives and toothpicks to help with spreading, outlining, and all the tiny details the kids love to add.

It is messy and colorful and occasionally chaotic, but it is one of the happiest traditions we have. The kids take such pride in their creations and we all end up laughing at the designs that go slightly off track. Decorating cookies at Grandma’s house is a tradition that feels nostalgic, creative, and full of joy every single year.

8. Pizza and Christmas Lights Night

One of our most loved traditions happens early in the season. We order a pizza, pile into the car, and drive around looking at Christmas lights. Eating pizza in the car makes the outing feel more exciting for the kids and it keeps everyone engaged as we admire the displays in different neighborhoods. Some houses go all out with synchronized lights while others have a classic timeless look. The windows fog up, the heater hums, and the car fills with that warm cozy feeling that only comes from doing something special together.

9. Gingerbread House Decorating

A little later in the month, we set aside an evening for gingerbread house decorating. It is messy in the best possible way. We cover the table with kits, bowls of candy, and more frosting than anyone needs. The kids decorate with so much enthusiasm and their creations are always vibrant and unique. I love watching their creativity come to life. The houses usually lean a little to one side and the candy rarely stays symmetrical, but the finished results are perfectly imperfect and filled with personality.

If you have little kids, consider buying a 4 pack of mini gingerbread houses. The smaller size is much easier for little hands and still gives them all the fun of decorating.

10. Christmas Tea With Friends

As the holiday season gets into full swing, I take time for one of my personal traditions. For more than a decade, my friends and I have gathered for a Christmas tea. It is a slower, more intentional pause in the middle of December. We enjoy courses of scones, savories, and desserts while catching up on life. In recent years we have started hosting it at home which makes it feel even more special. Sitting together with steaming cups of tea reminds me that the best holiday moments are the ones spent with people we love. Read the full post on How to Host a Christmas Tea Party.

11. Making Reindeer Food

As Christmas Eve gets closer, the kids start talking about Santa and his reindeer with growing excitement. One of their favorite traditions is making reindeer food to sprinkle outside before bedtime. We mix oats with a little glitter, just enough to make it magical without leaving anything harmful behind, and the kids scatter it across the yard so the reindeer can “see it from the sky.”

Along with the reindeer food, the kids carefully set out carrots for the reindeer, plus milk and cookies for Santa. They take this job very seriously, arranging everything just right before heading to bed. It is such a simple tradition, but it fills the night with anticipation and keeps the magic of Christmas alive.

12. Memory Ornaments

As Christmas draws nearer, I always take time to appreciate our memory ornaments. When I was growing up, my grandma gave me an ornament each Christmas that represented something meaningful from that year. It might be a little cruise ship from my first cruise, a tiny bouquet from the year I was a flower girl, or a miniature cell phone to mark the unforgettable year I dropped mine in the toilet. Now my mom does the same for my kids. Our tree has become a collection of tiny stories and milestones. The kids love finding their ornaments and remembering the adventures connected to them. It makes decorating the tree feel like opening a scrapbook full of memories. And just like I did growing up, my kids now eagerly wait to see which ornament Grandma will surprise them with on Christmas morning.

13. Christmas Morning Scratchers

The final tradition of our season is Christmas morning brunch with our extended family, but to make it more special there is a surprise. Before anyone starts eating, each person eventually discovers the lottery ticket I have hidden for them. Some years it is tucked neatly under their plate, and other years it is taped to the bottom of a chair, or slipped beneath a napkin. Now that everyone knows to expect it, the search has become part of the fun and I find myself getting more creative every year. Laughter fills the room as everyone scratches off their tickets, hoping for a little holiday luck. It is a simple tradition, but it adds a playful spark to the morning and has become a great alternative to buying individual gifts for all the adults.

Why These Traditions Matter

These little rituals anchor us in the meaning of the season. They remind us to pause, enjoy each other, and create memories that our kids will treasure as they grow. None of these traditions are extravagant but together they weave a story that belongs entirely to our family. It is the anticipation, the familiarity, and the joy in the small things that make Christmas meaningful year after year.

What Christmas tradition does your family look forward to most?