Christmas Traditions

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas

so of course I decided to participate in Aly and Molly's 12 Days of Christmas. Are you playing along?

Day 1 is all about Christmas traditions.Here are some of ours:

Cookie Party:

This year will be my 4th year hosting a cookie exchange. It has become a really fun tradition with my friends! These girls really know how to bake and I love eating their treats! ;)

Zoo Lights:

As kids we went to Zoo Lights with friends, girl scouts, and family. Now we get to take little Reagan to watch the lights and listen to the music. Such fun!

Christmas Train Ride at the Railroad Park:

Every year we go to the railroad park to ride the train through their lit village. They also have local high school kids volunteer as various characters for the kids to meet.... my little sister used to be one!

Here is Reagan with Santa on the train last year.

My family at the train park.

Choo Choo!
Gingerbread Houses:

My older sister hosts a gingerbread house making party. Last year Sadie and Sawyer assigned us each a part of a town to make. My school house was pretty ugly, but we had fun! After the party we exchange gifts with them.

Christmas Eve:

We always have appetizers before attending the candlelight service at church. After church we go back to my parents house and open 1 gift each (new jammies). I am so excited to have started this tradition with Reagan as well! Growing up, after we all got into our jammies we would sit in the living room as my dad read to us "The Night Before Christmas". Last year was Reagan's first Christmas and Nick started this tradition with him as well. Lastly, my family would always watch Christmas Vacation together before going to bed. Nick and I still watch it on Christmas Eve too.
This advent calendar is one that Nick's Mom made.

It is so cute and it's so fun to know that Nick did it each morning as a child and Reagan is too!

Christmas Morning:

We wake up early and our little fam (Reagan, Nick and I) open up gifts under the tree. Last year we gave Reagan his gifts from us and he got to open his big gift from Santa. (Nick and I packed our gifts to bring to my parents house). Then we opened the stockings Santa left at our house. Then we get dressed and drove over to my parent's house. This year will be so awesome since we literally moved in down the street. We can just hop down the road! Reagan is further spoiled by my family and we all exchange gifts together. (We still do the same tradition since we were kids... we go youngest to oldest, one gift at a time.) During presents we drink hot cocoa. After presents we eat rolls for breakfast and then open stockings from Santa.

Christmas afternoon used to be spent napping and playing with new toys before we all went to a movie at the theater. (I sooo miss this tradition. Now because of Reagan, they go without us! I can't wait till he is old enough to enjoy a movie.)

Day After Christmas

We spend the day after Christmas with Nick's parents. Last year we had lunch and exchanged gifts with his Mom and StepDad and Grandma and had dinner and exchanged gifts with his Dad and StepMom and baby brother.
Reagan with his stocking at his Grandma Sylvia's.

Reagan and his uncle Cooper.