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Winter

Christmas Baking

But our biggest holiday tradition is Christmas. This is a huge deal in our house. My mom and I usually start decorating in early November and have our houses completely decorated by December 1st. Our houses are filled with a lot of Christmas joy and fun!

But one of our favorite traditions is that every Christmas season, we go to Gigi's house to bake cookies and other sweet treats. It's always a fun and exciting time that brings us all together. Adam, and Mason, absolutely love baking and decorating cookies with everyone.

Our whole family- Meemaw, Grandpa, Bills, Uncle Austin, and Aunt Jordan, all participate in the baking as well. Austin is always eager to try out new recipes and share his creations with the rest of us. We make all sorts of cookies, from classic sugar cookies to chocolate chip and everything in between.

There's always plenty of flour, sugar, and other ingredients to go around, and we all pitch in to help with the mixing, rolling, and cutting of the dough. The kitchen is always filled with laughter, stories, and the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies. Once the cookies are baked and decorated, we put them in decorative tins or containers to share with our friends and neighbors as holiday gifts. It's a great way to spread the joy of the season and share the love we have for each other.

The Christmas baking tradition at Gigi's house is a cherished one that we all look forward to each year. It's a time to bond with family, share memories, and create new ones that will last a lifetime.

Schnepf Farms

Every year, we have special tradition of going to the Schnepf Farm Christmas Festival. It's become a beloved event that we all look forward to. The farm transforms into a winter wonderland with twinkling lights, Christmas music, and festive decorations.

We typically start the evening by taking a train ride around the farm to see all the holiday decorations. We love seeing the lights, Christmas trees, and other festive decorations that are put up around the farm. It's always so magical and puts us in the holiday spirit. After the train ride, we usually try to go on the wagon ride. This is where we take a hay ride out to the reindeer. Mason loves feeding them and getting to see all of them. We always try to find Rudolf. After the wagon ride, we usually head over to the Christmas market, which is filled with local vendors selling handmade crafts, Christmas ornaments, and other festive items. We love browsing through all the stalls and picking out special gifts for our loved ones.

One of the highlights of the festival is visiting Santa's workshop. Mason loves getting his photo taken with Santa and telling him all about his Christmas wishes. There are also plenty of other fun activities for kids, like cookie decorating, face painting, and writing letters to Santa.

The Schnepf Farm Christmas Festival has become an important part of our holiday traditions, and we look forward to it every year. It's a time for us to slow down, spend time together as a family, and soak in the magic of the season.

Zoolights

Going to the Phoenix Zoo's Zoolights every year is a special family tradition that has been carried on since I was a young child, and now, I am excited to continue the tradition with Mason. Every year, we make sure to visit the Zoo during the holiday season to enjoy the beautiful light displays and festive atmosphere.

The Phoenix Zoo's Zoolights features millions of twinkling lights that illuminate the park with dazzling colors and holiday-themed displays. We love walking through the different areas of the Zoo, admiring the various animal-themed light arrangements, and taking family photos in front of them. There is always something new and exciting to discover each year, and it's a joy to experience it with my family. As we walk through the Zoo, we are serenaded by holiday music, adding to the festive atmosphere. Mason loves to dance along with the music and sing his favorite holiday tunes. We also make sure to visit Santa's reindeer, and take a ride on the carousel to complete our Zoolights experience.

Going to the Phoenix Zoo's Zoolights every year is a cherished family tradition, and I hope to continue this tradition with my family.

Our Elf on the Shelf

One of the traditions we do every year is Elf on the Shelf, and Mason just adores it. Our elf, Kevin, shows up every year right after Thanksgiving and stays with us until Christmas Eve.

Mason wakes up every morning during December and rushes to find Kevin to see what he's been up to while we were all sleeping. Sometimes he's hanging from the fan, other times he's reading a book or even having a snowball fight with some of Mason's toys. It's such a joy to see the magic of Christmas come alive for my son in such a fun and interactive way.

But the best part is on Christmas Eve when Kevin goes back to the North Pole to report back to Santa on how Mason has been behaving. We leave out some cookies and milk for Santa and say goodbye to Kevin until next year. Mason loves the pictures that Kevin sends to me on Christmas Eve. Below, you can see when Kevin sent me a pciture of Santa putting down presents and taking Kevin back to the North Pole. Seeing Mason's excitement as he says goodbye to Kevin and knows that Santa will be coming soon is what makes the holiday season so special for us.

Meeting Santa

As a parent, there is nothing more magical than seeing the joy and wonder in our child's eyes during the holiday season. One of our family traditions is going to visit Santa Claus every year, and it never fails to bring a smile to Mason's face.

From the moment we step into the Santa Claus' workshop, Mason's eyes light up with excitement. He eagerly awaits his turn to sit on Santa's lap and tell him all about his Christmas wishes. Watching him interact with Santa is a true joy for me. Mason's innocence and belief in the magic of Christmas is a reminder to me to slow down and appreciate the simple pleasures in life.

As a child, I remember the same excitement I feel now when visiting Santa. The memories of writing my letter to Santa, the anticipation of Christmas morning, and the warmth of family and friends stay with me even now. Sharing these traditions with my own child brings back those same warm feelings and fills my heart with joy.

I am grateful for the opportunity to create these memories with my family and pass down the traditions that were once so special to me. Seeing Mason's excitement during the holiday season reminds me of the magic that still exists in the world. This Christmas we are going to take Mason on the Polar Express. Mason usually gets to go on a few different holiday adventures with a lot of opportunities to see the joy and magic of Christmas. This is something that I can't wait to do with another child, getting to see Mason teach the magic of Christmas and share the different magical events that we experience with his built in best friend. It is my hope that we will be able to share our family traditions with our future child.

Christmas with Nana and PopPop

Every year, we have a family tradition of celebrating Christmas early by heading up to Adam's parents' house in Wickenburg for a long weekend. Adam's sister, Becca, and her husband, Mike, usually join us for the weekend, and it's always a blast. We always look forward to this time of year, and it's a great way to kick off the holiday season.

We usually start off the weekend by going downtown and checking out the shops. Wickenburg is a charming town, and it's always fun to see what the stores have to offer. We'll grab a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants, and then head back to Nana and PopPop's house for some quality family time.

On Saturday, we spend the day at Nana and PopPop's house. We open presents and open have a large Christmas dinner. After dinner we usually go out to the golf course to play with Mason's new toys and take a lot of trips around the community in the golf cart. On Sunday, we attend mass at the local Catholic church. It's a lovely service, and it's always nice to see the church decorated for the holidays. After mass, Becca, Nana, and I usually go around the town to do more shopping. The boys, Adam, Mason, Mike, and PopPop go back to the house and play games. When we get back we like to go out again in the golf cart. This is Mason's favorite part of the weekend. It's a fun way to explore the area and enjoy the beautiful Arizona weather.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the golf cart parade. Everyone in the community decorates their golf carts with lights and festive decorations, and they ride through the neighborhood together. It's such a fun and festive event to watch, and Mason loves it! Of course, we also make sure to spend plenty of time relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Nana and PopPop always have the house decked out in holiday decor, and it's so cozy and inviting. We'll snuggle up by the fire outside, watch Christmas movies, and bake holiday treats together.

It's so special to share this tradition with our extended family as well. We feel so lucky to have such a close and loving family, and we cherish these memories that we make together each year.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is spent with my dad's size of the family. My parents, Aunt Kim, Uncle Andy, Cousin- Tyler, and my brother and his family always celebrate Christmas Eve together. As a child Christmas Eve was one of my favorite events and traditions. I loved playing outside, opening presents, and spending time with my dad's side of the family. This used to be at my dad’s parents house, but since their passing we host it at our house. Every year, our family has a special tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve at our home. It's a wonderful time when everyone comes together to enjoy each other's company and the Christmas/holiday atmosphere.

For dinner, I always make lasagna, which has become somewhat of a tradition in itself. My grandma started this when I was only three years old. Her dinner consisted of lasagna, mac and cheese, and chocolate pudding. after her death, I continued the tradition of lasagna every year. It's a dish that everyone in our family loves, and it's something that I look forward to making every year. We all sit down together at the table to enjoy the meal. After dinner, we exchange gifts and spend the rest of the evening playing games, and just enjoying each other's company.

Christmas Day

Christmas is my favorite time of year! I love the holiday season and all the family traditions that come with it. One of our most beloved traditions is spending Christmas day at my parents' house, which we lovingly call "Meemaw and Grandpa's" house.

The day starts early with us opening presents at our own home. Watching Mason's excitement and joy as he unwraps his gifts is truly the highlight of the season. We always make sure to leave out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer the night before, so we have to check and see if they were eaten too! Last year, one of the reindeer even dropped their collar so Mason found that with the eaten carrots.

After we open presents we have our Christmas breakfast. Usually I make red and green pancakes and waffles. After breakfast, we pack up and head over to my parents' house. Once we get to Meemaw and Grandpa's house, we exchange gifts with my parents, grandparents, and my brother and his family. Mason loves playing with Bryson and playing with their new toys. After he opens each present he asks Adam to take it out of the box so he can play. My dad always puts on the movie Christmas Story. We watch the same part every year, so we have actually not seen the whole movie.

After all the presents are unwrapped, we sit down to a delicious Christmas dinner. My mom is an amazing cook and always prepares a feast for us. We have all the classic holiday dishes like turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. We end the meal with lots of cookies and desserts. And of course, ice cream. One of the best things about spending Christmas at my parents' house is that we're surrounded by so much love and warmth. It's such a special time for our family to come together and celebrate the holiday. I hope that one day, when Mason has his own family, he'll carry on these traditions and pass them down to his children too.

We plan to continue our family traditions and include them in every aspect. We hope to teach them the importance of giving, spending time with loved ones, and creating special memories. We believe that our family traditions help strengthen our bond and create a sense of belonging, and we can't wait to share these traditions with our future children.

New Years Eve

Every New Year's Eve, my family and I have a tradition of spending time at our cozy family cabin in the mountains. It's a time for us to relax, reflect on the past year, and welcome the new one with our loved ones.

We usually have a few family members join us at the cabin, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We spend the day playing in the snow, hiking, or just enjoying the beautiful scenery. As night falls, we gather around the fireplace and share stories, play games, and make s'mores. We always watch the ball deop at midnight and count down together.

As for including future children in this tradition, we plan to continue this tradition with them and make it even more special. We hope to teach them how to ski or snowboard, take them on winter hikes, and build snowmen together. We also plan to add some fun activities, such as scavenger hunts or crafting decorations for the cabin. We can't wait to share this special tradition with them and create new memories together.

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