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This year we plan to spend the holidays at home and have been planning things to do together as a family. Now that Everly is getting older it’s been important for us to be home for Christmas to make our own family traditions. Last year we spent Christmas at my father-in-laws house away from Jake because he had pneumonia, so this year we’re excited to all be together!
Home is where you make it, but it’s so rewarding to be a homeowner – especially during the holidays! Flyhomes is a real estate company that helps solve problems for homebuyers at every part of the real estate transaction. They are focused on Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County, Portland, San Diego and now Boston as their core markets. The have first time home buyer classes and programs to help you close on your dream house without the headaches! This is definitely something that Jake and I wish we had when we were home buying! One of their features is the cash buyer option. They allow you use to their cash to present yourself as a cash buyer! This is such a perk in competitive cities like Boston. Visit the Flyhomes website to learn more about their products!
1. Bake Cookies for Santa/Your Neighbors
Our neighbors make us holiday cookies last year and delivered them in a tin and I thought it was the sweetest thing! Growing up a family in my parent’s neighborhood also did this and we looked forward to it each December! This year we are ordering boxes from Amazon and making four types of cookies for the families in our building. I also found a few new recipes that we are going to try!
Sugar Cookies // Holiday Blossom Cookies // Double Peppermint Crunch Cookies // Santa’s Trash Cookies
2. Make Your Own Hot Chocolate Bar
This is something new that we are trying this year because we love hot chocolate! We have all kinds of toppings available and will have this as a dessert one night after dinner. For toppings I’d recommend whipped cream, sprinkles, marshmallows, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, crushed up candy canes, cocoa powder, or cinnamon sugar. There is a set we found from Target that was really cute – here’s the link! It would also make a great gift or stocking stuffer! Hot chocolate bombs are all the rage this year! I’ve seen some on Etsy and at Target in stores. They are a ball of chocolate filled with different things like marshmallows or peppermint. You add them to a mug then pour hot milk over it and mix!
3. Make a Holiday Music Playlist
Choose some of the classics – Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, Oh, Christmas Tree, Let it Snow — then add a few new ones from top artists. Our favorite playlist on Spotify for the holidays is: Kid’s Christmas Party.
4. Decorate a Gingerbread House
This is something that we have done the past couple of years with Everly and she loves it. The tip is to hot glue the frame of the house together, so it sticks! I usually build the house then let Everly decorate it with gumdrops, sprinkles and icing. You can find easy kits from Target or Trader Joe’s.
5. Sponsor a Family in Need
Our local MOMS Club does a coat drive, glove drive, and a toy drive to donate to families in need. Check out some options in your neighborhood or think about volunteering at a local food bank.
6. Make Your Own Christmas Tree Ornaments
There are some adorable kits that we found at Target in the dollar spot. Everly loves the painting ornaments and the shrink kits there! We’ve also made the clay hand print ones with her and gave them to family members as gifts!
7. Have a Family Christmas Movie Night
There are so many cute Christmas movies for families. My personal favorite is the Grinch, but it can be a tough one for small kids haha! Other options are: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Carol, Frosty the Snowman, The Polar Express, and Mickey’s Christmas Carol.
8. Go for a Christmas Lights Car Ride
It’s a little bit more difficult for us in the city, but we are planning to drive to a few towns nearby to see the Christmas lights. I’ve heard that there are great displays in Newburyport or Somerville. In past years we’ve loved the light display at Faneuil Hall called blink!
9. Write Letters to Santa
Or emails if you’re lazy like us! Haha! When we’re in a store and Everly is crying and begging for a new toy she sees I have her take a picture on my phone. Then we are going to email all of the pictures to Santa as her list. It’s 2020 and now we do weird things like this for our kids.
10. Read the Night Before Christmas Before Bed on Christmas Eve
This is a tradition that Jake’s family has kept since he was a child! Every Christmas Eve – even if we’re not together – we all read the Night Before Christmas together. I found a beautiful hard copy you can order if this is something you’d like to do with your family!
I hope you liked this list of traditions and learning more about Flyhomes!
xo,
Jacci
