December seems to be a mixed bag for everyone with the holiday hype and Christmas magic. A lot seems to go by quickly without even realizing it. Taking it slow to enjoy seasonal traditions and family time during the month of December doesn’t seem possible to many, but it is!
It doesn’t come without great intention. And by great intention, I really mean just half a cheek of effort.
I am so excited to share with you one of my favorite things to do in December that we have been doing for years. This takes place all December long, and personally gives me all the Christmas feels.
The Beloved Pillow Party
Each night, we do something we have deemed as “Pillow Party” in the Alsbrook residence. This started years ago when my oldest was only three years old. Oof, and now it’s time for me to take a ten second breather because my oldest is almost ten now 😢
Whether it was her own personal interests as a three year old or her being a baby Yoda and just knowing we needed to slow down, Jaelle once took all our ten million pillows off the couches and formed them into little chairs on the ground. She pulled me in and basically told me, “It’s pillow party time!”
There was no rejecting her adorable little chairs and creative play, so I plopped down, cuddled her like nobody’s business, and pulled my youngest one onto my lap. I was a single mom at the time, and this forced me to put the stress of the day aside and just love on my babies right before bed time. My girls loved it, I loved it and I bet your mom would love it too 🥁 (pa-rum-pum-pum-PUN)
Boy did that stick!
Six years later and we still do the same thing! Both our girls look forward to pillow party every. Single. Night. Sometimes it looks different; a board game, charades, a portion of a movie, etc…but it normally involves our mega couch, lots of throw pillows and everyone in the family together in the living room a half hour before bed time.
Christmas Pillow Party all December, Baby!
Ahhhh, one of my favorite things to do in December with my family! All of month long, we make pillow party Christmas themed and I am all about it! This will look different in each home as it highly depends on the age ranges of everyone involved, but here are some reasons I absolutely love doing this:
- It gets us watching all the Christmas things! This is preferable to me rather than letting the busy month dictate whether we can fit all the classic Christmas shows and movies in or not.
- Our Christmas tree is lit and is close to our TV. With all the lights out in the house except for our tree, it feels like Christmas. We have each other, we have Christmas feels and we have Christmas classics ❤️
- We get to know each other better! Some nights are duds (:::Spookley and the Christmas Kittens:::), but some nights are true wins (Klaus anyone? Cue the tears oh my gosh!). This gives us 31 amazing nights together to discuss our favorites, plan what is next and give ratings. My kids are all about it.
- This forces us to slow down each night together as a family. Perfect way to end the day, in my opinion. Perfect way to end the year too.
Ways we keep it Magical all December:
- Keep only Christmas decorations lit
- Everyone in the family participates
- No phones allowed – this is only for a half hour in our home. Be fully present; it makes all the difference.
- Snuggle as much as everyone will allow 😉 (Btdubz, we respect each other’s no if someone doesn’t want snugz)
- Friday nights we do a full Christmas movie instead of just a half hour portion or show. We make each Friday in December special with pizza, Christmas treats and the whole nine yards.
- Pre-plan all the movies and shows everyone wants to watch so favorites are in the rotation. Everyone wins!
December Family Things are the Best
We do other December traditions as a family, but this is one that highly caters to my daughters who embody the love languages of quality time and touch with minimal effort. This is the reason Christmas Pillow Party is one of my favorite things to do in December.
I’m unsure how long my daughters will want to cuddle me on our mega couch each evening. As a mom, it gives me the chance to hold them close while enjoying the magic of Christmas all December long. My absolute favorite!
What are some of your December traditions that you enjoy all month long? I’d love to hear in the comments section below!