Growing up, my (very large) family had more Holiday traditions than you could count! There were just things we ALWAYS did. Starting with pulling out all of the Christmas decorations and putting up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving to homemade pizza and "It's a Wonderful Life" with a fire in the fireplace on Christmas Eve to everyone getting an orange in their stocking to remember the year during the depression when that's all my Great-grandparents to afford to get my Grandpa and great-aunts and uncles. These things remind me of family and home. As we grow and changes take place - people moving away, we may have moved ourselves or started families of our own. Maybe this year you're not able to make it "home" for Christmas. It's important to be able to adapt and make this Holiday Season one to remember. Here are a few Holiday Traditions I've had and ideas I've come across that may be a good fit for you!

• Have a tree decorating party with family or friends! Put on some Christmas tunes and have some appetizers and hot cocoa to snack on
• Take a drive to find the "best" and "worst" decorated houses
• Attend a Christmas Eve church service
• Gather friends and family to check out local Christmas parade or live nativity scene
• Have a Chirstmas movie marathon with all of your holiday favorites like: It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th St, Elf, Christmas Story, Charlie Brown Christmas, and White Christmas.
• Volunteer a few hours at a local hospital, orphanage, or nursing home. There is a great resource called "Holiday Project" that hooks up volunteers with organizations that need extra help around the Holidays! This is a great way to help kids (and adults alike) remember that the Holidays are about more than their Christmas list.
• Give PJ's to your immediate family on Christmas Eve. This makes for great Christmas morning pictures when everyone comes down in their new, comfy PJ's!
• Read the Christmas story from Luke in the Bible or "The Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve.
• Cinnamon rolls and a quiche on Christmas morning (along with a big pot of coffee!!)
• Have a battle of the sexes boys vs girls game of charades, pictionary, or gestures
• Make different Christmas cookies and decorate them with kids (if you don't have any of your own - borrow some - they make the whole processes fun :)
• Create homemade ornaments.

Whatever season of life you're in, remember to take time to count your blessings and be generous this Holiday season. Be generous with your love, your smile, your time, and the blessings in your life!