holiday traditions

I spent four straight days soaking in classic Christmas tunes at the retreat - a great way to usher in the holiday season! Upon my return from North Branch (and the hubby from his tropical paradise), we'd planned to have our annual "Decorate the Tree" party. Though the boys claimed to be unenthused, they were excitedly moving about as I pulled boxes up from the basement.

It took a while to get things in order because (surprise!) I had problems with the year old lights. I had just finished hanging the final working strand when my hubby arrived home with the pièce de résistance - dinner. Not just any dinner, but an assortment of appetizers from one of our favorite local restaurants.

To top it all off, the boys each received a new Christmas ornament in honor of our special day. Another holiday tradition.

Journaling Ideas: What holiday traditions do you use to usher in the Christmas season? Are they newly created traditions, those passed down, or a combination of the two? If you had to choose only two traditions to carry on, what would they be? How do those traditions make you feel? Why are they important to you? Do any of your holiday ornaments or decorations have a story? If so, capture it in your album (be sure to include a photo).