Hey all! I recently got tagged for a Christmas blog tag and I’m really excited for this one—it’s December and the Christmas vibes are already vibing.

Thank you to Julie at The Moonlight Wanderer for the tag! I highly recommend her blog, she’s got amazing posts that I always look forward to—so go check it out and subscribe!

Now, let’s dive into this tag challenge!

Guidelines:

1. Acknowledge who tagged you
2. Answer the questions
3. Tag friends & notify them
4. Fill out this form to have your blog challenge post spotlighted on The Moonlight Wanderer’s December Newsletter! (Optional)
5. Have fun!

Questions:

1. What are some traditions that you and your family have leading up to the holidays? And what’s something new that you want to try this month?
2. What’s your favorite Christmas recipe, food, or drink?
3. Every Christmas is different, and some years come with unexpected twists. But if you could have the perfect Christmas, what would the day look like for you?
4. What are some of your favorite winter activities? (e.g. caroling, sledding, drinking hot cocoa)
5. Do you decorate? How?
6. What is your favorite Christmas song or hymn? Why is it your favorite?
7. What’s a gift or experience you’re really wishing for this Christmas? And what’s your favorite gift to give others?
8. Describe some of your favorite Christmas memories. :)
9. What is your favorite Christmas-y book? Movie?
10. List ten words to that encapsulate the feel of Christmas for you.
11. In your own words, what is the meaning of Christmas?

1. What are some traditions that you and your family have leading up to the holidays? And what’s something new that you want to try this month?

Leading up to the holidays, we always end up watching White Christmas—it’s an old Christmas movie with Bing Crosby in it and I can’t remember the first time watching it because I grew up watching it my entire life! We also like to get hot chocolate, get in pjs, and then drive around to look at Christmas lights!

As for Christmas Eve, we open matching Christmas pjs, put those on, and then watch a Christmas movie before going to bed.

Something new I want to try…this is pretty similar, but I want to drive around at night and look at lights with a hot drink…by myself. I get to choose where I want to go without any brothers bossing and get to listen to Christmas music. We’ll see if that happens though!

2. What’s your favorite Christmas recipe, food, or drink?

Well, I wouldn’t say it’s exactly Christmas, but I have only ever made these at Christmas. They’re M&M-kissed pretzels—and I’ve made them with mint M&Ms and regular M&Ms, and so I hope to make those again this year!

Let’s just say that it’s the one thing I can successfully make without ruining. Just ask my mom—I’m horrible when it comes to baking or making food that requires a recipe and more than just peanut butter, jelly, and bread.

3. Every Christmas is different, and some years come with unexpected twists. But if you could have the perfect Christmas, what would the day look like for you?

This one is easy: A good nights’ sleep. Sleeping in. Five inches of fluffy snow.

Done. Next!

4. What are some of your favorite winter activities? (e.g. caroling, sledding, drinking hot cocoa)

Well, like I mentioned in the first question, driving around and looking at Christmas lights is one of them! My biggest favorite, however, is just overall playing in the snow. Childlike? Maybe. Pretty much the best thing ever? Yeah, and you can’t convince me otherwise.

Unfortunately, each place we live has different weather in the winter. Massachusetts was amazing because it snowed SO much—but here in North Carolina (at least where we live) it’s definitely not going to be as snowy as we hoped. But we’re supposed (there’s a reason I didn’t say ‘going to get’—because we live in the south and nothing is for sure when it comes to snow…) to get some flurries this week, so we’ll see!

5. What is your favorite Christmas song or hymn? Why is it your favorite?

Okay hear me out.

The entire album by Tommee Profitt—The Birth Of A King: Live In Concert. So good, the entire thing!! This has been my favorite for years and I think it’s gonna stay that way. I love it because it takes these worship songs and kind of remasters them, adding new bridges, new instruments, and new takes on it! And there’s a variety of artists featured on it who I all love including Hollyn, Crowder, Sarah Reeves, Fleurie, and more!

6. What’s a gift or experience you’re really wishing for this Christmas? And what’s your favorite gift to give others?

Ooh this is a hard question! For a gift, in all honesty…car money. I’m saving up to buy a car and I’m realizing how satisfied I’d be with getting $20 from someone for Christmas to add it to my savings. Or gift cards. But I’m really the kind of person who says, “Just the fact that you got me something is more than enough.” I’m not too picky when it comes to be given something! (Unless it’s underwear—I got that for my birthday when I was around 8-10, and it was so sad.)

Favorite gift to others…this might be a weird answer, but I actually LOVE giving people things, especially when it’s something small and random on a random day. Like the other day I bought my mom a coffee and it made me happy to see her surprised and happy at something small like that.

It’s the simple things that matter, people.

7. Describe some of your favorite Christmas memories.

I feel like I have so many, but I seem to have a lot of winter memories specifically.

I do remember during COVID, I think I got 10 books? In total (with my parents and brothers’ books) we probably got 30 books for Christmas. COVID was a book season for sure…we also got rollerblades that Christmas and because it was raining, me and my brother rollerblades in the garage wearing our Christmas pjs which was pretty fun.

Actually, I do remember my favorite Christmas memory. It was 2022 I think (or December of 2021) and my best friend’s brother who I’m also good friends with, (apparently we’re getting set up by my bestie so we can legally be sisters…?) asked, “What do you want for Christmas?” I jokingly told him, “Ice cream!” The next day he showed up with a quart of ice cream and I was so confused. “What’s this for?” He replied, “Your Christmas present!” Probably some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had.

8. What is your favorite Christmas-y book? Movie?

Okay so we’ve already established what my favorite Christmas movie is: White Christmas. But as for book, it’s probably The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (and the movie was also really good.) I’ll be honest though, I’m not a huge Christmas book gal. Please let me know in the comments if you have Christmas book recommendations because I’d love to read them!

9. List ten words to that encapsulate the feel of Christmas for you.

1. Snow
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Church (meaning: Christmas Eve service, if that doesn’t makes sense)
5. Cinnamon rolls (we typically have that on Christmas morning)
6. Pjs
7. Lights
8. Color
9. Joy
10. Chaos

10. In your own words, what is the meaning of Christmas?

Ooh, that’s a good question.

I think the meaning of Christmas—and number one is the birth of Christ, but hear me out—is taking a moment to love your people. At Christmas Eve services, everyone there is just…loving each other and celebrating. On Christmas morning, everyone is sharing the joy of gifts because they love each other and choose to buy meaningful presents. Leading up to Christmas, there’s excitement and you get to celebrate with people all month long. And there’s so many feelings that come with Christmas that really only Christmas holds. So the meaning of Christmas for me is honestly love—that God loved us so much He sent His Son to earth so that we could celebrate and love Him and each other in return.

The Tags:

Here are my tags for this challenge! And if you are not tagged but would like to participate…then please do! Just follow the rules that Julie created (at the top of my post) and do the same on your blog!

~Lola at Lola Mae Writes

~Zeva at My Learning Journey

~Bella at Peculiar Treasures

~Hope Elizabeth at Hope Elizabeth and Flame

~Gracelynn at xoxo, gracelynn

Well, that’s all I got for today! Thanks for reading and I hope this put you in the Christmas spirit if you’re not already.
~Willow