Christmas Wrap-Up: Traditions

Traditions. One of the best parts of the Christmas season. Whether new, or time-tested and long-lasting, traditions are what make Christmas the most wonderful time of the year. They give us something to remember years past, a marker to set down with each passing Christmas.

Some of the best traditions are the most simple. Setting up and decorating the Christmas tree is one of my absolute favorites. I used to wait until the day after Thanksgiving, but since living on my own, I've been setting it up a little earlier. Call me crazy, but I like the idea of enjoying its beauty as long as I can. And when you travel around the holidays, you have less time to enjoy your tree. (Yeah, this is my reasoning.)

Our Christmas tree, filled with flowers and ornaments.

 Another tradition I love is hanging up and filling stockings. In my family, my brother and I each have a stocking that magically gets filled (by my mom) on Christmas Eve. It's the first thing we open in the morning, usually before breakfast. I'm excited to continue the tradition with Nick.

A new(ish) tradition that I hope to continue is participating in Operation Christmas Child. This year, Nick and I filled a shoebox with toys and other items for a little girl. Filled shoeboxes are collected by Samaritan's Purse and distributed to children around the world.

Jade with our shoebox.

These are just a few traditions that I love. What are yours? Is there something you do every year without fail?