Becoming a mom, I wanted to establish meaningful traditions, especially at Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving, instead of shopping, we go get our Christmas tree. Growing up, I loved cutting down our tree at a farm with my brothers, playing hide-and-seek, and seeing my parents join in the fun. Now, since there isn’t a tree farm nearby, we visit Lowe’s or Home Depot and pretend we’re in a forest.

Once we bring the tree home, we decorate it with keepsake ornaments, sing Christmas carols, and enjoy hot chocolate with marshmallows. These traditions are important because they create roots for my daughter and something she can carry forward when she has her own family.

I hope, when she’s grown, she’ll remember the magical Christmases we shared, filled with love, laughter, and memories to last a lifetime. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!