It's Christmas: Traditionally Divine

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Too Many Books to Count! I’m so glad you stopped by. Thank you so much for joining me earlier in the month, for my series on not-quite-resolutions and things that I have planned for 2020—it was great fun, and it’s always a joy for me to look to the future, with all of you.

But, as promised, this week it’s all about the fun. And I wanted to tell you a little bit more about me, by talking about the holidays in my household.

Divine Holiday Traditions

Decorations

I’m sure most everyone has some sort of tradition, when it comes to decorating the inside (or outside, or both) of their house for the holidays, but ours is a little more intensive. Mum and I like to go all-out on Christmas decorations, putting up little snowy villages and nutcrackers and trees of all shapes and sizes, coloring the walls with bright stockings and festive wreaths and bows, even putting winter-themed stuffed animals in appropriately sized sleighs and placing them strategically around the house.

It's great fun!

I’m not entirely sure how this one started, but I’m so glad that it did. Interior design has always been something I have an eye for, something I enjoy, so a little decorating satisfies that itch in my bones. We usually start the Saturday after Thanksgiving, though this year we changed things up a bit and decorated most of the house in early November and left the Christmas tree itself for after Thanksgiving. If I’m being honest, that might be the new norm from here on out… we just love those Christmas decorations! And you can’t stop us, so don’t complain about our early decorating. You’re just being a Grinch about it. ;-)

Presents

Who doesn’t like presents?! Sure, I’m 28 now, but that doesn’t really change anything for us. We’re a family that loves to give gifts, and Christmas is just an excuse to really go all-out. The space under the tree is completely packed with gifts, wrapped and tagged and ready to be given on Christmas morning. It’s honestly something that we all really look forward to, even as adults, because now we get to give each other more meaningful things, things that’ll make a difference in each other’s lives. We've been known to spend hours on end, laughing and yapping and opening presents until we're all too hungry to wait any longer for lunch... and we wouldn't have it any other way. As long as we're all together, in the same city, that's how we'll continue to do it.

Sticky Buns

This one’s new, but I can guarantee it’ll be sticking around. (Get it?! ;-)) We started it last year, having homemade sticky buns and a pot of tea on Christmas morning, and we’ve all been talking about it for months. It’s something that has to stay with us, for a while. Mum and I love to bake, so sticky buns are an obvious choice in that regard. Every single member of my family loves a good cup of tea, so making a whole pot just makes good sense. And enjoying them all together on Christmas morning? Well, that’s just sheer perfection.

What about all of you? Do you have any little traditions you and your family do, on Christmas? I’d love to hear all about them!

[love]

{Rani Divine}