Creating our own family Christmas traditions has been a goal for us even before we started our family. Holiday traditions become very special because of the memories linked to them. We loved our family traditions that we had growing up. But, we were also excited to create our own as a young family with what would work for us.
Chloe is a ballroom dancer and this is her new ornament — ballroom shoe.
My husband Albert and I are from two different worlds. The saying ‘opposites attract’ is 100% true in our case. He is the salt and I am the pepper. I am the yin and he is the yang. Get, the drift? So, creating Christmas traditions to embrace our uniqueness and identify us as a new family unit was very important.
Love my sweet husband! So, glad I was able to convince him to wear matching holiday pajamas! P.S. That random Amazon box is actually a ‘gift-wrapped’ present to me from my sweet boy Elijah!
Albert is a laid back easy going mid-western boy from Iowa (he is from a family of 9) and I am a passionate excitable first generation Cambodian girl born in Virginia and raised in Utah (I am a family from 3). Even though we are polar opposites our differences compliment each other and we have been able to weave our upbringing, life experiences, and expectations well into our married and family life — having 14 years of experience helps a whole lot! And, another key factor is our same love and belief for God.
Be Bright, Be Merry, Be Holy
Whatever your circumstances in life, such as newly married, a blended family, a single parent family, a family that honors more than one religion, etc., — it is never to late to begin creating your own family holiday traditions. They could center around religious aspects of the holiday season and/or simply be fun! Albert and I had a great time creating new Christmas traditions for our family. It doesn’t have to be complicated or hard. In fact, the most simple of traditions have the lasting impact.
Elijah and Percy the Picklepuss (more about him later in the post).
The Savage Family Christmas Traditions
- My eldest daughter Emi has a birthday on Christmas and we also celebrate her birthday on Christmas day!
- This year we created a new one where we are wearing matching family pajamas from Target. Don’t you love our nutcracker pajamas!?!
Reece our newly adopted rescue pup joined us in our family pictures.
- We have two Christmas trees in our family. One tree has my fancy ornaments and the other one displays our children’s handmade ornaments.
- Each Christmas season our kids get a new ornament or they get to select one.
Cambodian Apsaras Nutcracker | The amazing thing about this is I bought the last three at a shop closing down (pre-kids). Isn’t it amazing that there is one for me and the girls! Serendipity!
- We have two elfies in our home. A cute red one with a happy face and a scary looking elf wearing all green.
- We love displaying our nutcrackers on our mantel. Albert served his church mission in Germany so he has a German boy nutcracker next to his German pyramid. The girls and I have Cambodian princesses nutcrackers and Elijah has a cute soldier nutcracker.
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- Emi is also a ballroom dancer and loves her new ornament.
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- Albert’s German boy nutcracker.
- On Christmas day, the first person who find the hidden Percy the Picklepuss stuffed doll in the Christmas tree gets to open the first present.
- We have had the same Christmas decorations for years and keep adding to the eclectic collection.
Who ever finds Percy the Picklepuss first in the Christmas Tree gets to open a present before anyone else.
- Christmas cards given to us are taped in our hallway as a Christmas gallery during the holidays.
- The night before Christmas the kids get to open one present (usually new pjs – exciting for them!).
Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.
- We reenact the nativity scene each year with homemade nativity costumes I sewed…it is so fun!
- Each year we participate in a service project and look for anonymous opportunities to serve.
Emi my sweet December birthday girl is turning 13 on Christmas Day!
We just love Christmas here at the Savages! I hope this post gets you super excited for Christmas and inspires you to create new traditions for your family. Holiday time is the perfect time to gather as a family and talk about what really matters in life.
Cute little boys can only handle picture taking for so long!
I love this beautiful wooden Nativity set. My favorite!
It is important for Albert and I to teach the kids about the meaning of Christmas with Christ’s birth and offering service (a kind deed, donation, friendship, helping hand, a smile). Join our family with 25 Ways to #LightTheWord this Christmas by being a light to others with the Savior’s example.
“If a fat man puts you in a red bag at night, don’t worry I told him I wanted you for Christmas!” LOL!
Outfit Details // Family pajamas set from Target.
Photography by Melissa Thomson
“At the H E A R T of every F A M I L Y T R A D I T I O N
is a meaningful E X P E R I E N C E.”
Christmas is so much more than attending parties and presents. It is about memories we create for our families. These memories are held so close to our hearts and passed down from generation to generation. The best gifts cost little or no money at all. Set aside time with your families or alone to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Decide in your life what actions you need to take to shine and be that friend and example to others. Thank you for being a friend to me and supporting my blog! Please comment below and share with me one of your favorite family traditions!!! Love you guys!
