a Few of My Favorite Creative Christmas Traditions

With the holidays right around the corner, many people are searching for creative Christmas and Holiday traditions that they can start with their friends and family. The traditions that myself and my family have started do not take a lot of money, but they all show a lot of care and thoughtfulness, which is what the holidays are all about.

The first tradition that I started last Christmas was a holiday survey that I ask my friends and then you turn the survey into a cute Christmas story that has their answers throughout it. For example, you ask them what their favorite Christmas carols and holiday scents are and then work them into a short story. You can create the story using simple holiday themed graphics in Microsoft Word or through any print shop programs that you might have on your computer. Then you find the items that are able to be purchased at your local department and craft stores and make a small little care package including all or a few of the items from the list your friends and family provided.

You can then create a cd with all of your friends and families' favorite Christmas songs and give each person on your list a copy so that they have their favorite songs as well as others favorite songs to listen to throughout the holiday seasons in the future. You can also create a cover for the cd case with the name of each person beside their favorite song, which sometimes adds an added personal touch that people enjoy seeing. You can purchase everything from coffee cups to candles to make your care package, and another good idea is to include one of your favorite holiday items and then be sure to tell your friend or family member which item is your holiday favorite. This only takes about $7 to do on a budget level, or you can spend well over $20 if you have more to spend. I always make sure to include an ornament in each care package, which you can always find inexpensively at Jo-Ann Fabrics or Michaels Craft stores. Don't be afraid to venture into the Dollar Stores either for these types of projects, they often have good finds that will work for crafty projects like these. All in all, it's thoughtful, creative, and different way to show your friends and family you care about them during the holidays.

Another tradition that is an old favorite, but a good one is baking Christmas cookies and then freezing them to give out around the holidays. I'd suggest baking them around Thanksgiving and then freezing them. My family takes a day around Thanksgiving to bake the cookies and that way we are all together anyways, and it makes the whole experience more like a tradition and more memorable as well. You will be sure to have many funny stories to tell and you'll be making new memories as well with this baking tradition.

Make sure to bake cookies that freeze well. A few examples are sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, nut balls, and biscotti. Do not freeze cookies that have icing on them, as icing doesn't fair well in the freezer as my family has found out in the past. When the holidays come around, with this tradition, you are able to give out cookies as gifts as well as have holiday cookies for your many parties and dinners that occur over the Christmas season. If you are giving the cookies as a gift, you can always find inexpensive tins at Wal-Mart or Target in the seasonal sections of the store. Also keep your eyes open for holiday coffees and teas to put in with your cookies as everyone can always use a cup of tea or coffee to go along with their cookies.
Whether you like new traditions or older ones, these two creative ideas are sure to be hits with your families and friends. Just remember that the holiday season is all about making people happy and giving rather than receiving. Keep these traditions in mind when you are trying to think of new ideas to keep in your families and circle of friends for years to come. Remember, holiday cheer is what makes traditions so memorable.