Christmas Traditions

I realized as I started browsing through pictures that we have created some pretty remarkable traditions with our family of 5. Jason was never really big on the holiday season. After we got married, he promised me that our holidays would always be like the ones I had growing up. Once we had our children, he wanted to give them the same magical moments that I had growing up. He has always kept his promises to me!

This is the first year in 10 years that we have not celebrated Christmas at my mom and dad’s house. It was a little bittersweet. I missed the tradition of being at my parent’s home. I missed spending time with our family and our closest friends. I missed watching all of the kids running around all over the place playing and sharing secrets. But, I love that we got to spend Christmas together in our new home. We started a bit of a new tradition this year. I’m not sure how long it will last but, for this one year it worked out the way that it was supposed to.

Here are some of the traditions that we carried into our home this year as we celebrated our very first Christmas in Louisiana.  

Baking Cookies

We couldn’t leave out Santa!! Every year he leaves the kids a special note letting them know how tasty their sugar cookies are.

 Making the ever so famous Pizza Bread

Every year, we roll out at least 6 loaves of bread dough for the famous Fazzino pizza bread. This year, Bryanna got her first annual lesson in making the delicious bread. Luckily, she only had to assist daddy with three loaves; however now that she has received her first lesson, she is required to be a part of the tradition every year.  

 

 Reading the Christmas story

When Bryanna was a baby, our Great Aunt Cindy introduced us to a special holiday tradition. On Christmas Eve her family would gather around the Christmas tree for a special Christmas story with a cup of hot cocoa. We carried on that tradition with our kids. This year, Daddy read a couple of Cajun Christmas stories to help us prepare for our first Christmas in Louisiana.   

Opening 1 gift on Christmas Eve
The kids usually get to open presents from our friends on Christmas Eve. This year we had to change things up a little bit. Luckily, Aunt Kris and Uncle Brian did some shopping before they left Italy. Their box arrived on Christmas Eve; just in time for these little hands to open.

Preparing for Santa

Santa and his reindeer always have a special surprise waiting for them whenever they come to visit the Mall children. Every year the kids make Santa a special thank you card. Santa gets to refuel his energy with cookies and milk while the reindeer get to munch on carrots and a special bag of reindeer food.

 "The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads"
After tracking Santa ALL day, he finally made his way into Louisiana.

~Merry Christmas~

It's a pillow. It's a pet. IT'S A PILLOW PET!

 A special gift for Grammy & Grampy

 YAY for Skype :-)

Millie was a good girl too!

Bryanna got a special call on her new cell phone :-)

 I got an Angels Snuggie :-)

We hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours!!