‌‌🎄‌🎁 2022 Holiday Countdown Thread🎁 🎄‌

[cianni]

Hi all! The holidays are my favourite time of year (my family teases me that i may actually be part elf...), so i spend the whole season cooking, baking, decorating, buying, wrapping and giving gifts!

I know we have a few threads going with (amazing) gift recommendations, but i thought it might be fun to create a thread where everyone can share some of their holiday decor, favourite recipes they like to make, or some of their traditions, regardless of what you're celebrating this year! I think it's so interesting to see how other people celebrate, and maybe even get some inspiration on new traditions or things to try!

 i usually wait until december 1 before putting up our tree, so i'll be doing that this weekend, but here is last years tree, with a little cameo from my (big) puppy❤️

 

ETA to add some prompts!

Dec 1-3: be honest - where are you in your holiday shopping? are you a last minute gifter, or a Black Friday shopper?

Dec 4-10: show us your tree and/or decor!

Dec 11-17: what holiday traditions are you most looking forward to doing this year? will you be incorporating anything new?

Dec 18-24: share your plate! what's your favourite holiday food? and yes, this includes desserts and drinks! recipes are always welcome

Dec 25-31: do you have a new years resolution? if you do, share it! lets keep each other motivated and accountable 😊 also, what are your thoughts on Boxing Day? Worth it, or kind of a bust?

BONUS: Jan 1-7: what were your favourite parts of 2022, and what are you looking forward to in 2023?

some traditions/things we do each year include

• wrapping paper themes (i change this up every year, and spend WAY too much time thinking about it)
• everyone gets an ornament each year that has something to do with something that happened in the previous year (something they really were into, or a life milestone), so the tree ends up being a trip down memory lane!
• family secret santa
• absolutely mandatory that we get a Terry's Chocolate Orange (although my mom and i are really the only ones who like them)
• playing Family Feud on Christmas Eve (older gen vs newer gen is usually how we create the teams!)

Cant wait to see what everyone has to share!!

[Loretta55]

Wow, that is awesome that you have been gifted some truly wonderful heirloom items @Titian06. 

[quspork]

Homemade gifts are the best, @Titian06! I wish I more crafty to be able to create gifts for others. 

[cianni]

okay we're officially in december - let the countdown begin!! i think i've mentioned this in other threads before, but i'm absolutely a Black Friday shopper. i make lists throughout the year of ideas for people, and grab everything while it's on sale. i'm finding the sales are starting earlier and earlier though, so technically most of my gifts are done before the actual Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

i do wait till December to wrap them though - this was out of sheer necessity. one year i got too excited and wrapped everything early, then totally lost track of what i had gotten everyone. which might not be an issue, but then more sales went on, and i couldnt resist adding some last minute things for everyone. christmas morning unwrapping was a surprise for both the recipient and me at that point!

[SportyGirly125]

I like to decorate the house for Christmas right around Veteren’s Day so the kids can enjoy the decorations longer. This year I had the tree up 11/8 the earliest ever. 

I don’t have a very big family so we usually just get together and have sushi for Christmas and do a gift exchange and let the kiddos play. 

My theme for wrapping has always been anything pretty or cute. Anything with avocados is a winner to me. 

[cianni]

@SportyGirly125 love that!! we do Christmas Eve sushi🍣 it's so nice your kids get to enjoy the decorations for so long. i find they make any house more cozy. do you take down your decorations in early jan, or do you keep it going even after?

[SportyGirly125]

@cianni @I take the Christmas decorations down on Jan 1st. It takes me so long to put them up so I put them up earlier.