Decorating traditions

Does it seem like this year has flown by? I swear this year feels like so much has gone on and it just zoomed by. Fall/winter are my favorite times of year! So much fun is scheduled around this time. My son's birthday, my birthday, dad's birthday, Thanksgiving, CHRISTMAS, and New Years! Growing up Christmas was such a huge deal with my family. My mom would start getting ready for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. It seemed like every room in our house was decorated except our bedrooms. I am like my mother. I can't help it. I LOVE TO DECORATE! The only reason I only have downstairs decorated this year is because I'm so busy with my newborn... or else... The whole house would have garland and lights!

I have always followed suit with what my traditions are... In fact, last year I was going about my business buying and organizing Christmas decorations that Grant stopped me and asked if we could do some of his traditions. I felt terrible. Did I make Christmas all about my family and my traditions? At that moment I realized that Grant and I will have our OWN traditions. 

What are our traditions now? We go together to get our tree, and then Grant puts the lights on the tree. Funny story about that is we were buying the lights and Grant walked up to the cart with colored lights... the look on my face must have said it all. He turned around and said he'd be back. He came back with the all clear lights. I think colored lights are great... it's just my OCD spin on having everything match. Then I really go to work. My families tradition... or my moms way is to decorate like its a model home. I follow her path until next year. Grant is ok with my tree looking uniform and perfect, as long as we put up ornaments that are sentimental to us. Sentimental? WE decided that every year we will pick an ornament that we like and we will continue to put them on the tree for as long as we celebrate this wonderful Holiday. Once our kids are old enough to choose which one they want they can pick one every year too. 

Stockings. WE decided that the stockings we buy will be the stockings we will use forever as well. This was a tradition both of us had. Grant had a stocking that was red with his initials (GBS), and I had a kitty cat stocking. So, I bought ours from Pottery Barn. Since Pottery Barn offers the same stockings just about every year this will be good if we add an addition to our family! ;) 

The rest of the house... Grant doesn't care what I do... Just as long as I keep our new traditions. And continue to create more along the way. Compromise. This makes us both happy! Who doesn't like new traditions that can be passed on?

Here are a few pictures of our house:

Cheers,

Brooke