In the wake of last year's post informing you of my 5 Holiday Don'ts I thought it prudent to share 5 of my Holiday DOs.
Note: The first "holiday do" is actually to let your two children design the picmonkey image for your post. Hence, the bespectacled, ear-muffed, candy cane and cookie-holding snowman you see above.
As you know, if you read last year's post, I do not go all out for the holidays. Nevertheless, I am no Scrooge. I love The Season and all the madness that comes with it. Even I have traditions I won't let pass me by. If you visit my on my Facebook page, you may even catch me in the act of enjoying even more holiday cheer.
5 Must Do Holiday Traditions:
Make a Special Meal. On Christmas Eve I make cheese fondue. It was a tradition started in my childhood when a storm left us without power for three days. A fondue pot came to the rescue and I haven't missed a year since.
Buy a Real Tree. It will upset some people when I say this but I cannot get behind the practice of putting up a fake tree. I sound like a snob, but fake foliage is not for me. It has no woodsy smell, no romantic nostalgia and you have to store it 11 months of the year. A few needles on the floor are totally worth the joy of a real tree.
Give Generously. Remember when I said I don't give a lot of gifts? Well, that's true. For people I know. As a family we give generously to toy drives and several charities over the holidays.
Visit the Holiday Windows. Oooh, I love the holiday windows! Lord & Taylor's are my favorite because I can indulge my obsession with the miniature. Needless to say, I go at off-peak hours.
Take it Easy. The best part about having a To Don't List, is that the items on my To Do List are so much more enjoyable. Don't your think?
What's your favorite thing to do over the holidays? What is your absolute "MUST DO!"?
Lucy Mitchell says
Hello, I clicked from your to do list to your to don't and loved them both. I love a real tree and NEVER take my kids to Santa. And the crafts, jeez, I paste as much as I can but at this time of year? Forget about it. So anyways, so nice to find your blog!
Erica MomandKiddo says
Thanks, Lucy. It's too hard to stand in line for Santa - I just can't bring myself to do it. My parents never took me to Santa so I don't feel very sentimental about it, either.
Johanna says
Hello Erica,
I have also checked out your last year blog about "do's and don't" ~ very honest and witty! I loved it too.
Here, in the Netherlands, Christmas is really not 'big' or at least not as celebrated as in North America or in Europe elsewhere. Most people give presents on Sinterklaas (dec. 5) and not many trees I see on Christmas day, although they tend to decorate their house.
We have real tree although we had fake ones too while we lived in the interior of Alaska (we just HAD to there)... and yes, we went to North Pole to visit Santa, but it was in the middle of summer 😉 strange feeling though....
Crafts for the kids: We make gingerbread houses that I buy at the IKEA and the kids 'glue' it together and decorate it with candies, which is a fun activity.
As for food: I usually bake fish (salmon) and home-made Hungarian pastry with poppy seeds, a tradition I continue.
Also, I don't invite and do not travel on the Christmas break (I made the mistake once and never again!).
The fondue sounds nice. Can you please share your favorite fondue receipt? Thanks in advance!
Erica MomandKiddo says
Here's the recipe I use, all the way from 1966! It's the same one my mom used, too: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cheese-Fondue-105489
Johanna says
Thanks for the recipe!
Jeanette Nyberg says
We get a real tree too, E. It just wouldn't be Christmas for me without one. And you tell those kids of yours they did an amazing job on the PicMonkey image. I can't get on PicMonkey without my daughter sensing it from the other room somehow...
maryanne @ mama smiles says
I love your list! We do have a fake tree, because - sadly - Mike is allergic to the real thing. I miss the freshness of a real tree, though, and even the pine needles on the floor!
teachingyoungchildren says
Great list of "do". Taking it easy is SO important during this mad time of Christmas rush.
Annette K. says
I just can't resist commenting about the tree, because my husband and are at such different places there. Maybe I am venting just a little. Neither of us had real trees growing up, and I felt such nostalgia and affection for the same old tree coming out every year. He absolutely despises the fake tree we have now, but mostly for monetary reasons we continue to use. Maybe as soon as next year we will gift it to another family, who for their own reasons likes a fake tree. Then I will admit, we will both enjoy having a real tree. The smell and presence of a real tree can't be replicated. However, I can't convince myself that fake trees are completely terrible. I enjoyed both your lists immensely.
Erica MomandKiddo says
I think I'm mellowing on my approach to fake trees. Although I still never want one for myself, I've had friends who have convinced me that they have their positives. 🙂