Our Favourite Christmas Holiday Traditions

Growing up in a big family, Christmas was absolutely the best time of year. Holiday season was all about food, games and family time. Now that I have a family of my own, we have maintained some of my childhood family traditions, fused them with my husband’s, but most importantly, made our own.

The Christmas holidays for me as a kid meant decorating the house with endless paper chains and snowflakes in an attempt to get the house looking as much like the north pole as possible – my poor parents. It also meant spending a lot of time at my Mum’s side in the kitchen; making mince pies, sugar cookies, caramel shortbread, and the list goes on. I love recreating traditions with my own family, and will certainly be doing lots of baking (and tasting) with my daughter this season.

One of my favourite days during the festive period has to be the start of advent, and putting up the decs.

I love getting out old and new decorations for the tree and and remembering the stories behind them all. My husband and I have an ongoing tradition of buying a decoration from every country we visit which leaves us with lots of great memories and fills me with nostalgia every time I glance at the tree.

We usually have a cousin’s day, where we have a gingerbread house decorating competition. Let the Christmas tunes blast out and get decorating your perfect Christmas scene. The kids love it and get really into it – and so do I! Be careful, this is a deadly activity for those with a sweet tooth!

Who doesn’t love a Christmas Market?

Last year we travelled to Berlin for the markets and they were just magical. Wandering around admiring the sights and the lights with a German hot dog in one hand and a hot choc in the other – what’s not to love? This year we are staying local, but doesn’t London do Christmas well? I’m looking forward to taking our little one to Hamley’s and perhaps having a dance slip on the ice rink.

Having Italian heritage, we like to remember and celebrate our roots during the festive season. On Christmas Eve we have an Italian feast which consists of seafood, pasta dishes, panettone and tiramisu. We usually play charades, read the Christmas story and sometimes even have the kids act out a nativity. We get into our Christmas Eve pyjamas (usually a fresh new pair) and of course leave Father Christmas and Rudolph a little fuel by the fire.

Christmas Day is and always will be traditionally British in our home! All awake in the early hours for present opening, the most glorious bird cooking away in the oven; we love spending the day laughing with loved ones. Boxing Day usually consists of a long and much needed walk, the kids usually bringing new bikes or scooters that Father Christmas gifted them. Then home for more food, because is it even Christmas if you go a couple of hours without? Turkey pie, an absolute winner. Click here for my favourite recipe.

What are some of your Christmas traditions? We’d love to hear them!

Love Maddie x

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