There is no time I love more than Christmas. We spend every Christmas at my grandma’s home in Royal Oak and there is no better time than those few days there with my family. As I head to Michigan today, I wanted to share some of my favorite traditions I’m looking forward to the next few days in Royal Oak and at home in Traverse City.
- Our ritual of all us cousins grabbing hot chocolate on Christmas Eve from Gayle’s in downtown Royal Oak after last minute shopping.
- My grandma’s traditional homemade Christmas Eve dinner. There is no favorite meal more than our Italian dinner of eggplant parmesan, homemade ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs and bruschetta.
- Exchanging our cousin gifts after Christmas Eve dinner. With us four girls, we pick a fun theme and alternate who we give to each year.
- My grandma makes over fifteen kinds of cookies each Christmas aka they never end during the holidays! Christmas morning is always cookies for breakfast with our coffee while we open gifts.
- Since Christmas Eve is the biggest night for us, our holiday tradition of heading to the movies on Christmas is another favorite ritual of ours.
- Once back home in Traverse City, I love that still after twenty years of being friends, all us girls get together. Whether drinks or dinner at Red Ginger, catching up with some of best friends I only see a few times a year is always one of my favorite nights.
What are your favorite holiday traditions?