Hi everyone! I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas. This year has passed unbelievably fast.

This will be my 11th Christmas with the hubby, and in those years there are a few traditions that we have come to embrace.

First, we always take our pup Charlie to a pet boutique here in Chicago, Tails in the City, to have his picture taken with Santa. Here is this year’s picture. This is one of my favorite things to do!

Secondly, we have made it a point to spend Christmas together somewhere that we both enjoy. Sometimes that means spending time with our extended families, but most times it means that we spend time together, because we feel it’s important that our little family has just as much holiday time together as our extended family does. Usually, if we decide to go on holiday, it’s somewhere warm! A few years ago, my sister was volunteering in Ghana, so we visited her there for Christmas.

Third, I LOVE making Christmas cards!!! The snowflake ornaments posted yesterday were my 2007 contribution to the Christmas world. :)

Another favorite tradition is that if we happen to be able to go to a movie, we do. I know that this is a popular tradition and it’s something we have both done since we were kids. It’s great to get out of the house and enjoy a movie on Christmas day. This year, I’m thinking Marley and Me!

We have one final and most important holiday tradition, and that is spending New Years Eve with our best friends. A group of us have spent each New Years together since 2001 and we care so much for this tradition – it really means the world to us. Here we are on New Years in 2005. You might recognize Feisty (and her house too!) in this pic.

And on NYE 2006:

So that’s it, that is Christmas in our house. We’re not all about yuletide and mistletoe, but we do love the holidays and we love our traditions!

E.