The Group Chat: Family Holiday Traditions

The holidays are all about creating special moments with the ones we love, and this month’s In the Group Chat is all about sharing our favorite family traditions. From simple, heartfelt rituals to elaborate celebrations, it’s fascinating to see how each family adds their own unique spin to the holiday season. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or just love hearing how others celebrate, this post is full of warm, joyful ideas that make the holidays unforgettable. Let's see what everyone is up to.

In this group chat we have:

• Allie, a mom a 3 (1 girl, 2 boys)

• Kayla, a mom of 3 boys

• Sarah, a mom of 3 girls

• Lindsey, a mom of 2 boys

• Anna, a mom of 3 (1 boy, 2 girls)

• Racie, a mom of 4 (2 boys, 2 girls)

Allie - go with the flow

We have zero must do traditions. We're more of "whatever makes our life easy during the Christmas season" people - some years it's botanical garden lights and Christmas tea with Santa and gingerbread competitions and other years it's just the nutcracker (this year) We do go to Christmas Eve church every year and it's my favorite!

Kayla - waffle house

Our favorite Christmas tradition is going to Waffle House for dinner on Christmas Eve. We wear our jingle bells and elf hats and enjoy dinner together that no one has to cook or clean and everyone loves it

Sarah - CLassic Christmas

We always go to Christmas Eve service, Christmas light searching at night and watch Home Alone. Not in that particular order though

Lindsey - Italian Christmas Eve & Cookie Magic

As far as family traditions go…after Matt and I got married we started doing Italian Christmas Eve dinner. I made a lasagna earlier in the day, go to the evening Christmas Eve service at church and then come home and pop the lasagna in the oven to cook while socializing with family who have come for dinner. It’s evolved and changed a bit since then but it’s still Italian Christmas Eve.

Growing up it was also the day that we opened gifts from siblings and I’ve continued that with the boys.

In addition, I started making and decorating Christmas cookies for my nieces when Matt and I got married. Even now as 18 and 14 year olds we still do this and the boys enjoy having that time with their cousins. Those are the cookies we leave out for Santa.

anna - Christmas Movie Nights

We aren't huge movie people during the year, but come Christmastime we love a good movie night as a family! We get the sleeping bags out and make it a big deal each time. Our favorites and must watch each year:

• The Very First Noel

• The Star (their favorite)

• Buck Denver: Why Do We Call it Christmas (a must watch, such a hidden gem, we all learn so much each year, I bought it on Amazon and it's worth every penny!)

• The Grinch, of course

• Charlie Brown Christmas

• The Snowman (1980s version), no words but the kids are still captivated

racie - Chattanooga Staples

One of ours is getting hot cocoa at the Hot Chocolatier and then going to see the big Christmas tree at the {Chattanooga} Choo-Choo!

Erika - family ornaments

One of my favorite family traditions is decorating the Christmas tree together. We pull out all our old family ornaments, reliving the memories they hold, including ones from mine and my husband's childhood. Each year, we add a new family ornament to mark the season. It’s always a bit chaotic with little ones and fragile ornaments, but when we make it through—despite the ornaments ending up in no aesthetically pleasing arrangement—it never fails to make me smile. The tree becomes a perfectly imperfect reflection of this stage of our life.

Here's to hoping we can continue this tradition forever and maybe, just maybe, it gets a tiny bit easier.

Happy Holidays

Family traditions are the heart of the holiday season, weaving together memories, laughter, and love that we carry with us year after year. Whether they’re big or small, simple or elaborate, these traditions remind us of what truly matters: the moments shared with the ones we cherish most. As we celebrate the holidays in our own unique ways, let’s take a moment to appreciate the beauty of these rituals and the joy they bring. Here’s to honoring old traditions, creating new ones, and making this season one to remember. Happy holidays from our family to yours!

Leave a comment below and tell us what special holiday traditions your family is enjoying together!