These Are a Few of My Favorite Christmas Things

To say I’m a Christmas fanatic would be putting it lightly. There is specifically a rule in our home, because of me, that Christmas movies can be watched all year long to my heart’s content, so as long as my husband isn’t home when it happens.

So with that in mind, I thought it would be fun to take a moment to share with you a list of a few of my favorite things that have given me extra, much-needed comfort and joy through the 2020 holiday season that I hope will serve you in some way.

I also hope that as I go over my favorite things, that it’ll help to bring into focus some of yours to serve you well with an extra spark of light during this tough holiday season, no matter how or what it is you may celebrate.

Movies



1)Nightmare Before Christmas

2)Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

3)The Polar Express

4)It’s a Wonderful Life

5)A Charlie Brown Christmas

Each of these films are beloved classics in my home that I have found the most comfort and joy not merely in watching them on my own, but doing so with my little boy (minus Nightmare Before Christmas, we’ll wait a few more years on that one).

So often just like in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” we are overrun by consumerism, questioning what the fuss is all about, and left depressed and beaten down.

But it is through the eyes and spirit of my child that I am reminded of the main source of peace that I celebrate and the healing and unity I find when I focus on what truly matters most. The presents are nice, the events and shows are fun, and the food is delicious, but the true spirit of Christmas is what truly lasts all year long if we let it.

The true spirit of Christmas lasts as we take a step back and take the time to focus on the giving, the love, and the peace that is found at the core of the holiday season.

Films are a great way to hone in on that spirit and to allow it to realign our hearts and minds-eye, which is what I get from these whimsical, fun, and heartfelt creations. 

Books



1)A Grouch’s Christmas (Sesame Street)

2)Wintering by Katherine May

3)The year they gave babies away by Dale Eunson

4)The Magi by O. Henry

Once again, this year during the holiday season, being able to celebrate with my toddler has been such a treat to truly enjoy this beautiful time of year.

But amidst the fun and uplift, a dreary, melancholy feeling can drift upon us like the fallen winter scene we find ourselves in in the dead of winter.

Each season has its beauty, but sometimes I feel that winter is overlooked, having nothing to offer besides the holidays at the very beginning, only to then be left grey and bare as we long for warmer days to come.

These stories however reminded me of how selfless acts, meaningful connections, and seeing the winter season as a time of rest, rejuvenation, and healing are basic needs for us to survive and thrive as human beings.

Winter is necessary for us to grow and be more appreciative of the lives we live, as well as what and who we let enter in to add to it.

Decor Pieces in my Home



1)Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Display

2)Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

3)Poinsettia Garland

4)Candles

5)Trio Nativity

6)Plethora of Blankets

Each of these decor pieces holds special and sentimental meaning to me, from expressing my love for fandoms, such as my beloved Rudolph display and Charlie Brown Tree, to how items such as candles and poinsettia garland can add elements of nature, warm light, and smells, and cozy blankets all add to a welcoming environment in my home for all who may enter. Signs that this is a place of safety, relaxation, and rest.

However, one piece of decor that I hold especially dear this year is one of my nativity scenes that is of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus displayed by our TV.  There’s no one or anything else in this Nativity scene, just this sweet little family.

It makes me think of my own little family and how many of us may only be able to be with our own immediate family this holiday season, but we can still find peace of mind, true connection, and a fullness of joy in our circumstances and in whatever company we find ourselves in this year.  This also may help us see more clearly how each family member plays a key role in our lives, blessing us for the better.

Music



1)Josh Groban’s Noel Christmas Album

2)Michael Buble’s Christmas Album

3)David Archuleta’s Winter in the Air Album

4)Ingrid Michaelson, Sara Bareilles – Winter Song

5)Robert Downey Jr.’s version of “River” by Joni Mitchell

6)Lindsey Stirling’s version of “Angels We Have Heard on High“

Each of these artists have always been absolute favorites in our home, each having brought a fun and serene ambiance to our home, road trips, and personal, secluded moments.

They remind us of simpler times, add a classic, homey environment brought on from the memory of beloved Christmases gone by, and the promise of cherished ones still to come.

Their messages of what to embrace during the holiday season are clear: to enjoy and not take for granted what and who is most important. To love and to be loved being one of the most important truths to better understand and live by. The power of music does indeed help us come closer to learning this truth. 

Smells



1)Reindeer Woods Candle

2)Cedar Magnolia Candle from Hearth and Hand

3)Cedar Balsam Candle from Trader Joe’s

4)Baked goods, especially pumpkin bread and comfort foods like lemon butter chicken

All of these aromas listed above have added a calming mood and environment to start, go about, or end the day, making being at home a wonderful place to be for me and my family.

Each of these scents come through the simple act of lighting a match with a glow that warms our hearts and from creating meals that fill the belly and comfort the soul.

Winter is a time to allow the scents to dance and be filled to the fullest, giving added joy and warmth to see us through the dark and cold days ahead. Our homes become safe havens by what we allow in and what we create together. 

The power of smell creates and brings back memories, so let us choose to build strong, uplifting memories that bring a smile to our faces when we breathe those scents in once more. 

Traditions



1)Chinese Food on Christmas Eve

2)Advent Calendar via Disney Storybook Style (instead of doing the chocolate calendar)

3)Christmas Program on Christmas Eve

4)Seeing the lights in our neighborhood with hot cocoa

5)Watching a Christmas Devotional at the beginning of the month

6)Getting jammies or something for bedtime and watching a classic Christmas film on Christmas Eve

7)Service projects all month long aka the gift of giving 

Now the final touch for me that all of the previous favorites help build or bring back is how we spend the holiday season, by the memories we create.

So often we feel pressured to do all the things and to fill our time with staying busy, otherwise, we’ve failed and wasted this small window of celebration that comes only once a year.

But that could not be farther from the truth. As you can see from my personal list of traditions, there’s nothing all that glamorous about them. They’re fairly simple, but oh so meaningful to me.

From eating good food to being taught the importance of giving selflessly and fully, to creating silly Christmas programs as children through adulthood, getting in comfy new jammies, slippers, or blankets while watching a film that brought laughter, tears, and smiles from ear to ear, these are the traditions and the moments I look back on as most cherished because of who they were shared with and the feeling of fulfillment and warmth they brought on.

I wanted nothing more than to live in those moments forever. It is in those moments that I’m reminded of how I want to give, celebrate, and live all year long. I want to give with my whole heart, celebrate often and with joy, and to live with intention, not just once a year but my whole life long. 

The Purpose of the Holiday Season

The holidays remind us of what can be if we but pause and focus. As you ponder on your favorite things this holiday season, I hope that you will not take them for granted and that they will change you for the better. Making you happier, more at peace, and more fulfilled, which will in turn make for the hope of peace on Earth and goodwill to all become a more universal reality.

Whatever, wherever, and however you celebrate this holiday season, I wish you nothing short of the very best and that you will be filled with such comfort and joy. Happy Holidays dear friends!


Now I’d love to hear from you, what is one of your favorite holiday traditions that you cherish? Please comment below and share this post if it has been of value to you or could be to someone else.


**If you enjoyed this article, feel free to check out these other great & insightful posts:

🎉https://stephanietracywrites.com/60-fun-meaningful-winter-family-activities/

🎉https://stephanietracywrites.com/how-to-help-children-parents-enjoy-the-holiday-season-to-ease-stress-and-anxiety/

🎉https://stephanietracywrites.com/third-month-with-baby-first-cold-first-holidays-the-good-with-the-bad/

🎉https://stephanietracywrites.com/the-importance-joy-of-reading-with-your-child-plus-a-list-of-25-of-our-familys-current-favorite-childrens-books/



About the Author 

Hi there! I’m Stephanie Tracy, a freelance writer, and blogger for hire. I specialize in physical and mental health, parenting, and self-development. I create engaging, inspiring and useful content to help businesses progress in making their viewers into customers. When I’m not writing, you can find me happily playing with my toddler, walking in the park with my family, or indulging in a movie marathon with my husband.