Hi friends, and happy Wednesday. I hope your day is off to a lovely start. I can’t believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving!!! Where has the year gone?
I hope you have wonderful plans with your family for Thanksgiving. We’ll be celebrating with a BBQ on the beach with the 80 degrees we’re having here.
Then, on Friday, everyone comes over and has brunch, and then we get to decorating the house—inside and out for Christmas. This has been a tradition of ours since our girls were little. They’re now 30 and 32, and we’ve got two grandsons, 9 and going on 12, to the mix.
It’s so much fun. We pull out the tree. Unfortunately, it’s an artificial tree as we’re an allergy household. We had the same tree for 25 years, but the hurricane flood ended its reign last year. But last year, we got a lovely new tree that we’re excited to put up in our home. Due to the flood, this will be our first Christmas in our new home. We can’t wait to celebrate it here.
So, we pull out the tree, the ornaments, lots of lights, decorations, and set to work. Everyone pitches in and reminisces about each ornament. We have another tradition in our home of giving our girls, and now the boys, an ornament they pick out every year. It’s fun to look back and see what was important to them over the years.
For example, we have the blingy, sparkle years my younger daughter, Kayla, went through. Lots of glitter that has still held on. Then my daughter, Ty, had her electric guitar year and lots of animals. Along with ornaments they made over the years—some from as young as two. It’s a beautiful tradition that fills us with joy and laughter every time we open the ornament tubs. Thankfully, those made it from the flood because we’d gotten them in the attic before Helene hit.
Our final traditions are having a steady supply of Entemann donuts and, of course, coffee on hand. Along with a handful of our favorite Christmas movies from over the years. A few special ones include The Santa Claus, Elf, Arthur Christmas, the original Grinch, and The Toy that Saved Christmas from Veggie Tales, and several of us sing along with the silly songs.
It’s a day full of traditions, memories, a lot of laughter, and gratitude for all God has blessed us with.
Question:
When do you decorate for Christmas, and what traditions do you have?
Blessings,
Dani
Latest posts by Dani Pettrey (see all)
- National Religious Broadcasters - February 25, 2026
- Laura Conaway Guest Post - February 11, 2026
- Reader Retreat Fun - January 28, 2026
The girls and I decorate Friday evening after everyone leaves from our family Thanksgiving. This year the girls and I are in a new house so we will have fun decorating it. I give the girls an ornament every year in their stocking that represents something from their year. I also have new decorations this year that belonged to my aunt and I can’t wait to use them.
I put my tree up the day after Thanksgiving. Every year I buy each of my six grandkids a special ornament and put on their gift. My MIL did this for my daughters and I passed them along when they got married. My grands love picking out their ornaments.