Holiday traditions

Reverse Advent Calendars just might be my new favorite holiday tradition this year!

I love traditional advent calendars – my family has a felt Christmas tree with little plush ornaments for each day that we’ve had hanging on the wall every year for as long as I can remember, and my husband’s family does a new daily treat calendar each year.

Those are all good and fun, but this year, as my son is getting older and more aware of the world around him, I wanted to start teaching him and his sister what’s really important at the holidays – and I don’t mean the overload of gifts.

The holiday season is officially upon us, and we all know what that means for moms everywhere: over-commitments, high expectations, endless to-do lists, and breakdowns all around.

It seems like, with all the parties and events and gifts and crafts and travel that go along with the holidays these days, some of the basics get lost in the shuffle. The holidays are such a prime time to build lasting memories and traditions with our kids, and yet, it all feels so daunting.

But Christmas traditions for toddlers don’t have to be stressful. They don’t have to be time-intensive, or overwhelming, or any of those words that cause your blood pressure to creep all the way up to your ears.