DiVasta Family Favorite Holiday Traditions

Families around the world enjoy creating traditions that are passed down, repeated, and loved year after year. Most of us can recall favorite memories with our grandparents and parents when we were children and decide which ones we want to continue with our own families, now and in the future.

Some traditions revolve around food, favorite movies, decorating the inside and outside of your home, family photos, and more. Our family has several favorite holiday traditions we wanted to share with you – and we would love to read about and see photos of some of your favorites, too!

Our Favorite Holiday Traditions

1. We love to watch the movie “Elf” on Christmas eve. This light-hearted and at times, sentimental, Christmas comedy (2003) starring Will Ferrell is fun for the whole family. Here are 35 of the best quotes from the movie: https://parade.com/958009/alexandra-hurtado/elf-quotes/. My personal favorite didn’t make the list “Did you hear that??” What's your favorite Christmas movie? We also love "It's a Wonderful Life" and watch the week of Christmas. I usually watch it a few times myself too. 
2. Who doesn’t love a good book? Every year Santa has left a wrapped book outside Luke, Beni and Jared's bedroom door. He does this so if (who am I kidding...when) they wake up before everyone else, they have a gift waiting to open. I always picked something they were interested in so they would sit quietly, even if only for a few minutes and read. Does Santa leave a special treat outside your kids doors? Post it below! 
   
3. A week or two before Christmas, our family climbs into the car and we drive around looking for “jackpots”. A “jackpot” is a house that is beautifully decorated with lights and other items to the extreme for the holidays. This phrase was coined by our oldest son, Luke, when he was young as we approached an over the top decorated home, he exclaimed…”look, we found the jackpot”. Is your house a “jackpot” or do you prefer to drive around looking for them like we do?
   
4. Every year since the kids were born, we buy a special tree ornament just for them to hang on the tree. Bet you can guess which one they are getting this year. We use an industrial Sharpie pen (order one here https://www.plymouthcards.com/collections/pens) to write the date and name, and sometimes a memory, on each ornament. Our plan is to let each child take their special ornament collection with them as they grow up and move into their own homes, starting their own family traditions. It is the perfect way for their first tree not to be bare. You can see all the ornaments we offer here. 
   
5. We didn’t want the kids to see Santa’s gifts under the tree on Christmas morning until we were all together. This tradition stems from when I was an eight year old child and went down to see what Santa had left. I saw he left a bike for one of my sisters and I proceeded to run upstairs, wake her up and tell her...this did not set well with my parents and hence the "no going downstairs until everyone is awake" started. Vinny and I decided to take it one step further and "wrap" the doorway, and then the opening as our house changed, where the Christmas tree was! Some years the opening was quite large and we had to get creative with rolls of wrapping paper to keep the surprise alive. (Yes, I bought clearance wrapping paper a year in advance). The kids loved busting through it to see the Christmas tree and what Santa had left. A fun way to start the morning.
   

Wherever you spend your holidays this year, we wish you and yours a very safe and happy holiday season! Maybe you will even start a new holiday tradition.

Don’t forget to visit our website if you’re shopping for holiday cards – or any special event cards – to send to friends and family: https://www.plymouthcards.com/. And share your holiday traditions with us in the comment below or on our Facebook page.