Did you enjoy reading about Jen’s family and their Elf on the Shelf yesterday? Me too! Today, my new friend Kara is here to share some of her favorite traditions with us! I’m extra excited for you to meet her because she is going to be my co-host for something special that’s coming to One Artsy Mama…read on!
Hi everyone! I’m Kara from Happy Go Lucky and I’m so excited to be Amy’s guest today.
I’m a huge fan of One Artsy Mama so I was honored when she asked me to be a guest for the Our Home for the Holidays series.

In our house the holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, making memories and cherishing everything we are blessed with.
Some of our holiday traditions include:
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with our entire families
Going to Christmastown at Busch Gardens
Cousin’s Gift Exchange
Decorating the Christmas tree
Making personalized Christmas ornaments
Baking and decorating lots of yummy cookies
My favorite tradition:
Every Christmas Eve my brothers (I have 4) and I with our spouses and children all spend the night at my parents house. We wake up together and open gifts together just like we did when we were children. It is so much fun!!
This year there will be 15 stockings that surround the fireplace.
My mom makes a huge breakfast.
We relax by the fire.
We drink hot chocolate.
We talk.
We laugh.
We have a blast.
We are all TOGETHER!
And this year I want to start a new Christmas tradition!
Matching Christmas Pajamas
I think it would be fun to make matching pajamas for Connor, my husband and me every Christmas. I’ve found a few patterns on Pinterest so stay tuned to see what I decide to make. If you’ve made pajamas before please stop by and share any advice you might have. So what are some of your holiday traditions? We would love for you to link up and share how you celebrate the holidays.
I have some other exciting news to share with you all!
I’m also thrilled to announce that Amy and I will be teaming up to start our weekly Shine on Friday link Party.
Our first party will be this Friday, 11/11/11
We hope you’ll join us! Because we want you to create, share, and shine!!

The mum of all trades says
What lovely traditions. I love reading how families in different countries celebrate Christmas.
Katie @ My Darling Days says
Kara, I love your traditions! After all, isn’t that what the holidays are all about.. spending time with your loved ones! 🙂 Last year, we did a Pajama Christmas also. They weren’t all matching, but we were all in pj’s none the less. It was awesome!
MiMi says
I need to get on the Matching Christmas Pajamas train. It’s always so cute to see the pictures of other people doing that.
And the tradition of everyone at your parents house…that’s so cool!
Jamie says
Hi! What a great post!! I LOVE the idea of matching pajamas! And I love how everyone spends the night at one house and comes down on Christmas morning like the old days. We’ve never let go of that tradition either. Also, we don’t do matching pjs but every year, my mom lets us open one gift on Christmas even and it’s always pajamas we wear that night for the next morning! :o)
Jamie
For Love of Cupcakes
Terry says
That sounds like so much fun having your whole family truly together for Christmas morning. Love the pjs idea too.
I am LOVD says
Not sure how you convinced the spouses to do this every year??? I’m impressed and it sounds like such fun!
Carmella says
How fun to have a sleep over at your parent’s….I love this idea so much! And how exciting about the link party too!