Erin Akin Carroll

In October, I was on a mission to create white space in my life. And in that experience I started to think about Christmas. It comes once a year. We try to cram so much into it, and most of those things aren’t family-oriented and they’re not life-giving.

They are full of obligation and commitment and end-of-the-year work functions, and often at the end of December, I’ve wondered where the time went and what we did with it.

So I was on another mission to create a White Space Christmas full of intentionality and fun family togetherness.

Two years ago, Nina and I were brainstorming this very thing and between the two of us, we came up with a list of 25 Christmas traditions. We posted it back in 2011, and decided to post it again this year.

We certainly don’t even attempt to do them all each year, but it’s fun to decide which ones will work for our family and to see some of the fun ways we can be intentional. Driving around looking at Christmas lights, decorating the tree, hosting a cookie exchange, and giving matching pajamas on Christmas Eve before watching a movie together.

It could be as simple as what you eat for breakfast on Christmas morning or your Christmas Eve tradition. My family eats my mom’s breakfast casserole every year on Christmas morning, and on Christmas Eve we have seafood gumbo because we’re form Louisiana and we love it!

The one that has become the most special to me is attending the candlelight Christmas Eve service at church together as a family. It’s full of wonder and reflection as we remember the miracle of Jesus’ birth.

Download the printable PDF here: 25 Christmas Traditions for Your Family 

What are your family’s favorite Christmas traditions?

We are having our Christmas card pictures taken tomorrow. Last year I wrote a post about how it’s so typical to have our photos taken and look back at them to discover that there isn’t one photo where everyone person is looking at the camera and smiling.

Then when it’s time to choose a photo for the card, you have to decide which family member is going to be making the “this is the worst experience of my life” face in the annual card.

And then, last year, I found one photo that captured our family’s personality perfectly. And then I brainstormed the perfect text to go with the Christmas season and to describe our family in 2012.

That’s when I came up with “Rarely calm. Always bright.”

I asked Nina if she could design our card and she brought the vision to life… all based around that “imperfect” photo.

The 2012 Christmas Card- Rarely Calm. Always Bright.

 (back, front)

(inside)

This year, I’m a lot more relaxed. I’ve chosen our outfits. I talked to the photographer and I told her that I didn’t want any props, and I only wanted to go to a place where my kids could run and play and give genuine, happy smiles.

And I know that no matter what we see when we see the images, I know we’ll be able to choose one that completely personifies our family in this season of our lives. I haven’t brainstormed the text, I don’t have planned “poses” because there’s really no point. Our family won’t look like someone else’s family or their poses or their personalities.

I’m excited and pretty relaxed for tomorrow. Because I know that the photographer is going to capture my boys right where they are right now.