Christmas Favorites!

Hi!!  Happy Tuesday!

I am linking up with Amy, Jess and Alisha today and sharing some "Bits of Cheer!"

You know how Oprah has her famous "Favorite Things" list?? 

Well..I thought I would share about all of my "Christmas Favorites!" 

Without further adieu...here's what makes me the happiest during the Christmas season:

Favorite Christmas Drink: This one is a tie. I LOVE to sip on egg nog (no alcohol in mine please :) AND I LOVE Starbuck's Peppermint Mocha. I treat myself to at least of one them during the holidays!

Favorite Thing to Wear:  During the month of December, if I am at home, you can guarantee you will find me in two things- a fun pair of Christmas socks and a pair of Old Navy's holiday flannel pajama pants! I have an INSANE Christmas sock collection 

(my friend's mom gave me a couple pairs for my birthday, every year, for about 15 years straight :) and I own about 7 pairs of Christmas PJ pants from Old Navy. They are my FAVORITE.  It is definitely fun to dress up for a Holiday party- but I am happiest and feel the most festive in my comfy candy cane flannel pajama pants and Santa socks! HA!

Favorite Christmas Song: O Holy Night. ALL TIME FAVORITE. 9 times out of 10, it brings tears to my eyes when I listen to it.  If I am at Christmas Eve Mass...well forget about it- I become a mess! HA! This version of O Holy Night sung by a gentleman named, David Phelps, is AMAZING.  I also love this more simple version sung by one of my favorite singers, Matt Wertz.

Favorite Thing to Eat: My mom makes my three favorite Christmas treats: homemade cranberry bread, homemade molasses cookies and homemade Chex mix. I have NO self control with these yummy treats. Three cheers for stretchy maternity pants this year! HA! Have you ever had homemade cranberry bread?!? IT. IS. SOOO. YUMMY. And don't even get me started on my mom's version of molasses cookies! HA! And homemade chex mix??? Give me a blanket, a warm fire and a bowl of chex mix and you have one happy girl!!

Favorite Christmas Tradition(s): I have to say, while I love Christmas morning and the fun of opening presents with my kids...Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the Holiday season!

We start off Christmas Eve morning by making reindeer food for Santa's reindeer.  Then the kids get to make their own gingerbread houses. They also draw a picture/write a letter for Santa to set out next to our plate of cookies we leave out for him.  We stay in our Christmas jammies all day and all of these little activities are just fun and get the kids SO excited!  After naps and a snack, we all get ready and dressed up and head to Christmas Eve Mass.  Right now with very young children, we go to our church's 4:00 pm service- but one thing I am really looking forward to when our kids get older is attending Christmas Eve Midnight Mass. 

Once, we get home from church, we get the kids all cleaned up, in their Christmas jammies and we have a pizza picnic and watch a Christmas movie. We set out our cookie plate and a glass of milk, sprinkle our reindeer food on the front lawn and get the kids to bed!  

Then, here is my most favorite part about Christmas Eve...Aaron and I set out all of the kids' gifts (and I am usually wrapping most of them before I set them out- HA!), get their stockings stuffed and then we have our gift exchange! We started doing this several years ago and we both really love having a quiet, special time to open our gifts with one another.  Christmas morning is all about our kids...so it is really nice to have "our time" together on Christmas Eve!!

We always take a picture of us sitting by the Christmas tree once we have got all the presents underneath it.  We feel like the biggest dorks taking a self-timer picture of ourselves- but I love having the memory of us on every Christmas Eve!!

(This picture is from last year :)

And there you have it...the things that make me happiest during the Christmas season! :)

So now it's your turn!! 

I would love to hear about a couple of your personal Christmas favorites!! 

Hope you have the BEST day!!