Last night I attended an ornament swap and one of my friends asked the rest of the ladies, “What is your annual Christmas Eve tradition?”

What do we eat? Where do we go? What do we do?

I know that many newlywed couples are looking for new traditions and are often torn with whether to begin their own family traditions or continue with old family traditions. It’s hard to come up with fun original ideas, so I was hoping that you could all leave your tradition here in a comment– and then people have a place to find fun ideas for new traditions with their family.

Here’s mine:

When I was growing up, we split Christmas Eve and Christmas Day between my grandparents on my mom’s said and my grandparents on my dad’s side. We had pretty much the same exact meal at both places. We spent Christmas Eve with my dad’s parents, siblings, and all my cousins and we opened all of our presents. Santa Claus came that night to my grandparents’ house and then on Christmas Day we woke up to see what he brought us. Then we packed up the car and went to my mom’s parents’ house where we exchanged more presents and ate again. It was always a lot of fun to get to see so many family members.

For the past three of four years, our new tradition is to eat gumbo on Christmas Eve. Wherever we are. Sometimes we’re in Dallas and sometimes we’re in Columbia. But gumbo is the constant and I love that! We watch Home Alone while we cook and then Christmas Vacation later that night. We also go to church either at our church or at my parents’ church in Dallas. We don’t open any presents on Christmas Eve anymore– although I’d like to change that. The kid in me is still dying to open presents on Christmas Eve!

Some of the other traditions that I heard last night were “taco night,” fondue, crab boil, and a mixure of snack foods.

What is your Christmas Eve tradition?

WARNING: Christmas decoration picture overload!

It’s December 2 (my dear friend’s birthday) and Christmas is coming with full force! This week is the Junior League’s Holiday Market in Columbia where you can find all the best shopping in one single location. Todd and I are going to the Preview Party tonight. It’s black tie, so that means I’m excited, but he’s not. I will be working the Market all this week, so I knew I had to hurry up and get all of my Christmas decorations up so I could enjoy them.

I had to rearrange the furniture to accommodate everything. I wish I could leave the tree up forever.

Our Christopher Radko “newlywed” ornament.

Hudson’s first Christmas ornament. Aww!

I get an ornament from this artist, The Painted Palmetto, every year at the Holiday Market and she puts the year on it.

a Christopher Radko from our anniversary trip to Savannah

My nutcracker collection on our bookshelves. I collected them for 12 years. My brother has a lot of them, too.

This is Father Nutracker, Maid Marion (from Robin Hood), and a toymaker.

This is an artist and the Phantom of the Opera.

Some of these are just assorted classic nutcrackers, but there’s also my favorite Biker Girl, the Pilgrim, and Noah.

The entry table and the great angel that I got from Cottage and Vine in Columbia

The mantle and our stockings. Hudson’s is in the middle.

That’s all I have. I’ve done all of my Christmas decorating. We don’t do the outside of the house because we don’t have any electrical outlets outside. I plan to remedy that before next Christmas. By the way, I said that last year.

I love giving gifts and picking things out for the special people in my life. We’re not really exchanging gifts with extended family this year. Todd and I are getting some memorable gifts for Hudson’s first Christmas and we’re exchanging presents with each other.

But there are a few friends and other people in my life with whom I am exchanging gifts. So here is my guide for 2009 Christmas shopping.

Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion, and Architecture – $53.55 on Amazon.com

This book is a whopping 400 pages. It features all of the Louis Vuitton collaborations with artists, designers, architects, and photographers. And look how pretty the book is! If I walked into a house and that book was sitting on the coffee table, I’d immediately pick it up.

A Blurb Book– starting prices range anywhere from $12.95 to $74.95

During these hard and uncertain economic times, quality is better than quantity. And what makes a more quality gift that one that comes from the heart? We made a Blurb book of Hudson’s birth day and will make one for every birthday he has until it becomes painfully obvious that he’s too old to have his mommy at his birthday parties.

 

Low Country Luxe Candles

I am obsessed with these candles. I have them all over my house now, thanks to my mom. I found them at The Paris Market and Brocante in Savannah while we were there for our anniversary. I think the best part is that the candles are actually made in Savannah. They are packaged so beautifully and every single one of the smells is delicious.

You can choose from scents including Savannah, Charleston, Gullah, High Cotton, Sea Grass, and Spanish Moss. They also have a Limited Edition New Orleans scent.

My personal favorite is High Cotton.

Sophie the Giraffe

Hudson loves his Sophie. She is the best teething toy around, but she’s also kind of a collector’s item. Sophie the Giraffe (not our particular Sophie) has been around since 1961 and she comes in an adorable box. Click here to read the story of Sophie.

MomAgenda

Y’all know I love my MomAgenda. As the year ends and the new year approaches, all the ladies need a new calendar. I am lost without my MomAgenda. Again, if your gift recipient isn’t a mom, get her a MyAgenda. And if you don’t have a gift recipient that could use this, just get one for yourself. We can buy for ourselves at Christmas, right?

No? We can’t? Oh well.

Just click here to find out more about the MomAgenda and the MyAgenda.

 

And stay tuned. At least two of these items will be featured in my Favorite Things Giveaway later this month!

These are all items that I’m giving someone in my life this year. What are you giving the people you love?

(And I asked Todd for a specific pair of earrings, the Violet Hunter Wellies, and a Garmin.)