It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

So excited about Christmas coming. We got our tree the day after Thanksgiving and it's up -- waiting to be decorated!  Looking forward to getting everything beautified!

A few memories from when I was a kid:

Chocolate chip pancakes on Christmas morning.  Those things are the best when you're a kid.  I remember standing by my dad as he would cook them up and he always made little ones as "testers".

Christmas Eve was a great time with the family.  After reading the Christmas story, we would have a time of opening either 1 or all of our gifts.  My parents were sure to do it so it was spread out enough so we all saw what each kid got.

My parents sure did a great job with stretching dollars for all of us kids.  I remember the piles and piles of Christmas gifts under the tree.   Sometimes it seemed like it covered half the living room floor.

I miss the family times we had together, but I enjoy making new ones in this season of life.

A few traditions we have or would like to start:

We go out every year and pick and cut our own tree.  This has been so fun and special.  I have memories of every tree we got so far...even the one that looked really really bad because we had a surprise waiting at home and didn't have time to "look". (that was the worst one ever!!)

I would like to start putting out Christmas drinks and healthy snacks every night in December until Christmas for those chilly evenings.

Would love to go ice skating at least once this season as well.

What are some of your traditions, or plans in starting them?