My Favorite Christmas Traditions!

Once Thanksgiving has come and gone, every day feels worth celebrating. Because hello, it's Christmastime! While I try to find a way to celebrate Christmas each day of December, there are a few days I especially look forward to each year.

Black Friday. Black Friday happens the night of Thanksgiving, and it kicks off the Christmas season! I never went Black Friday shopping before I dated Chris, but once I tried it, I was hooked. It's just so much fun! One of the reasons we have such a good time is that we go into it without a plan. We know where we want to go, but we don't set out with a list of things we must get. That makes it a night of just enjoying everything, and if we find any great deals, it's an added bonus. But if not, we're not disappointed. The only rule is that the night absolutely must include a white peppermint mocha.

After we sleep all the excitement off, we get up and blare the Christmas music while we put up the Christmas tree and decorate our apartment...it's the best! This year, we decorated and put the crib together on the same day...something that will probably never happen again, but was so special!

Grinchmas at Universal. This is one of my favorite, favorite things in the world. I love Christmas, I love Universal, and I love the Grinch. Hello, happy place. Even if you don't live in Florida, everyone should make a trip to do Grinchmas at least once. It's so festive and gorgeous and FUN. I can't even remember how long my family has been doing this, but my dad's gift to us is that we all go to Universal for the day, go shopping at City Walk, watch the Macy's Day parade, and then go out to a fancy dinner. It's always one of the best nights of the year! No matter where we end up living, Jack WILL come back to Orlando to experience Grinchmas!

Christmas Date. The exact details of our Christmas date change a little bit each year, but it always includes going to the big mall here that goes all out in decorating for Christmas. Because there's no way you're not going to have a magical night when your night includes a 50 foot Christmas tree.

December 23rd. This day has been special to me since 2009. It's the first time me and Christopher ever celebrated Christmas together, and we've kept the tradition since then. It would've been a special day forever no matter what, but in 2011, Chris proposed on December 23rd, making it a must to celebrate every year.

Christmas Eve. Growing up, my family had this tradition where every Christmas Eve, we would go to the mall (Yes, it is crazy), and I would go with my dad to buy my mom a present while my brother went with my mom to buy my dad a present, and then me and my brother would switch. I think it started out as my dad making sure me and my brother actually bought my mom something nice for Christmas, but it turned into the best family tradition ever. We see a movie and then end the day somewhere fun for dinner.

I was lucky enough to marry someone that went along with my borderline obsessive love for Christmas, and me and Chris still join my family for Christmas Eve every year, and it's still a favorite day of mine. Except now I love it even more, because I get to go home with my best friend, we order takeout and open a present from each other and make cookies for Santa. Best day ever. 

What are some holiday traditions you look forward to?