Let's Talk - Christmas Traditions - The Queen In Between

Today I’m joining Andrea and Erika for this months Let’s Talk series and we are sharing Christmas traditions.

Also joining Sarah and Victoria for Day 2 of their Christmas link up sharing Christmas traditions! Hop over and see all the fun prompts they have planned each day through the 15th.

Every year at this time it seems like a question along the lines of family traditions arises and I’m always stumped. I don’t know if it is because I grew up in a family without too many big traditions or if the fact that my kids are spread apart in age has something to do with it, but compared to some families our traditions just seem to fall short. What I do know, is this time of year we all see each others faces more than any other time and that is my favorite tradition! So let’s talk about a few things we have done for years!

We bake lots and lots of treats to giveaway to friends! My Meme always did this and it is something I totally adopted. It is not an easy task but I absolutely love doing it every year. My little lovebug has taking a liking to it as well so she helps me for sure. While I make several things the most coveted by those receiving are my Meme’s chocolate cookies. The trick is to giveaway more than you eat!!

Our Christmas season ALWAYS begins the first Friday in December when my friend Sarah host the most amazing holiday party. We have seriously been going to this party for at least 10 years I think. Sarah makes all the food herself and let me just say, Keith is not easily impressed but he will do everything in his power to make it to this party!! It is always such a fun time to see my fave girls!

Ohhhh….the Elf on the Shelf. What a love/hate relationship I have had with this booger. I absolutely loved finding creative ways for BJ (yes really) the elf to come visit each day but at this time of year when things get crazy anyway it was definitely something I had to plan as the kids got older. I think we have been doing the Elf on the shelf for at least 5 years but I think the little miss has finally given it up. I’m half relieved and half sad.

While some years this has been hard to fit in, we try really hard to ring the bell with the McBertys every year. The kids have come to really love this one and Carly is already asking when we are going to do this!

We also volunteer at the annual food drive and try to find other ways to spread some Christmas cheer to our friends and family.

Some years we head out to do something special like watch the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular!

We look at Christmas lights! I really only have this last little bug that wants to do this with me but I’ll take it. She has been begging to do a Christmas light scavenger hunt so I’m hoping maybe I can talk her siblings into this and we can all head out into our pjs (yes, Jordan…even you!!) grab some hot chocolate and take two cars and have a little family battle.

We spend Christmas Eve every year with the Janac side of the family. I always wanted to be part of a big family and this one does not disappoint! Everyone is not always able to make it but there is typically a good crowd and Keith’s Nanny Jane would be so darn excited with the number of great grandkids she has. Two new babies have been born this year and there are now 23 great grandchildren!

Christmas Day is spent at our house with all my babies. For the past few years we have started the tradition of having brunch with Keith’s mom and sister as well. I make a breakfast casserole and we all eat and open gifts and have mimosas. Remaining in our pj’s has been pretty much mandatory.

There are always games and lots of coffee too! Last year we played Bean Boozled and I think it was my biggest laughs of the entire year!

On the day after Christmas we head down to my hometown to finish off Christmas with my mom, grandmother and my brother’s family. We spend the day hanging out, eating lots of food and then typically hang out by the fire until the wee hours telling lots of stories about our childhood and the kids over the years and laughing like crazy.

Oh…and did I mention the tamales? We have had tamales at Kielman Christmas my entire life. I seriously cannot think of a Christmas without them.

It has not always been simple to make sure we have great family time. Keith and I are both from divorced families plus I am divorced. My Bigs some years have had 7 Christmas gatherings! I’m so grateful all of us have a strong love for family which has definitely helped it all come together every year. There has definitely been a lot of compromising and I just encourage everyone it is worth it. So what if Christmas day is not the day you are all together. Making the time to be together, all together and have that undivided time to reconnect is such a blessing.

What are your favorite family traditions?

Be sure to come back tomorrow to link up with Katy and me for Spiel the Beans and share your favorite holiday movies!!