Growing Sound Roots: Christmas Traditions with a Toddler (plus free Christmas Bucket List printable)

Candy canes, teddy bears, gingerbread houses, oh my! Santa, Christmas Carols, cookies, oh my! Fabric the elf, Christmas books, snowflakes oh my! Wish list, hot chocolate, presents oh my! Cousins, cousins, and more cousins oh my! Scroll to the bottom of the page for our Christmas Bucket List free printable!

Fun with friends downtown Seattle to see the Teddy Bear Suite and the Gingerbread Houses

Just like with our eight not so crazy nights of Hanukkah, we started getting in the Christmas mood right after Thanksgiving. Our family tradition is to kick off the holiday season by venturing downtown Seattle to see the Gingerbread Houses and the Teddy Bears. This year we added a few traditions in our own West Seattle. We went to the tree lighting ceremony where Micah had his first hot chocolate and I took Micah to meet Santa and sit on his lap at one of the stores in the Junction (that Santa happens to know my friend Heather's dad really well ;-) so it was extra fun talking with him). Micah was just in awe and pretty speechless upon meeting the jolly old elf. We didn't go full out on our own house lights this year since we'd be gone, so we just strung up a pretty pathetic little display on the porch, but it seemed to add to the holiday cheer a bit and of course Micah liked them.

Adventures of Fabric the Elf

First Candy Cane!

First "gingerbread" house!

First time meeting Santa

Snowflake fun

This year it felt like Christmas was one big extended holiday as we celebrated first with Phil's family on Monday, with my extended family in Turlock for Christmas Eve, and of course with my mom's side of the family at my parents house on Christmas Day. Yes there were lots of gifts that were very much appreciated, yet as cliche as it sounds, the absolute best part was spending time with so much of our family! We couldn't ask for a better one!