Holiday Traditions

 Usually this time of year is very busy with parties, shopping and sports but all that has slowed down now due to the pandemic. Our traditions have to change and there's not as much to do since we can't do much  inside now that winter is upon us and Tier 3 has gone into effect again. 

We were happy to get in our annual tree cutting event with our friends albeit with some minor adjustments of masks and no lunch but we were still grateful we were able to do it as it's always the perfect way to kick off our holiday season. 

We usually visit some light displays every year too picking a different one each year. This year, we chose the Morton Arboretum drive through light parade. It definitely was a different experience than walking with a cup of hot cocoa in hand and much quicker too but it was kind of nice to view the lights from the warmth of your car. We weren't as cold afterwards so we celebrated by hitting the drive thru of Andy's Frozen Custard!

During the week, we decorated ornaments for our town's Christmas Trees. Peyton had to create her own ornament for her Girl Scout tree while Hailey (and Tom) contributed her decorating skills to her soccer tree. Lots of fun decorating and then hanging the ornaments while viewing other trees on the promenade. 

The holidays are work too so this weekend, we put the kids to work stuffing our Christmas cards into their envelopes, stamping and sealing them. We got out our almost 200 cards out in record time considering I didn't have a good photo of all of us this year (due to COVID) until our Xmas tree cutting excursion. It wasn't all work though, the kids watched A Christmas Story while they worked too, laughing at how the little boy had the same name as their grandpa, and all the antics and bad food they had to eat.

Sunday was a bit more festive decorating Christmas cookies. We first made the homemade sugar cookies (NY Time recipe this year) and then rolled out the dough. The kids had fun discovering all of our cookie cutters for the season. We had bought some new sprinkles and icing that included great ways to outline your cookie this year. Some of us were deliberate in our artistry while others were quick to get the frosting on to eat it, but it was a fun family night together while the Christmas music played and Sadie snoozed nearby only waking up when the cookies were baked and she not so subtly let us know that she too wanted one! 

It sure is a different holiday season this year, but we are determined to still do some very festive things with our family. It may be one they remember forever and tell their kids and grandkids about some day.