Kozell Christmas Traditions

{Newlyweds - Christmas 2012}

I am so excited to be creating Kozell Family Traditions with my Husband! It is definitely funner {a la Elle Woods...Legally Blonde, anyone?} now that we're married. Technically, we were married last Christmas but considering we spent the first two weeks of December celebrating our wedding and honeymooning in St. Lucia, last December seemed abnormally short and kind of weird. We never got a Christmas tree for the first time in 7 years and we didn't get a cold/white Christmas like the year before in Oregon since we live in Florida.

I think traditions are so important because they are festive, fun and unique even if others do them too! Traditions create great memories and I know they will become so much more special as our family grows in the future. I wanted to wait until we were married to start some traditions but we've started a  few already.

Some traditions we have enjoyed over the 7 ½ years we have been together include:

Seasonal Recipes:

White Chocolate Chex Mix and Ginger Creams. Recipes to be shared this month!

{Engaged - Christmas 2011. In Sunriver.}

Seasonal Decorations:

Christmas Stockings

My Grammy was a crafty lady! She made all sorts of things from blankets, stuffed animals, holiday items, etc. One of my most treasured items is the felt Christmas stocking that she made me in 1984, the year I was born. I hang it up every year. A couple of years ago, I made a similar style stocking to match mine for Brian. It makes me heart so happy to know that I am continuing on this tradition with the family we are creating. I will make one for every sweet little baby we have! Confession: I cannot wait to have a baby so that I can make another stocking. Totally legitimate reason to have a baby right?! Kidding...sorta ;)

Christmas Tree Skirt

Two years ago I purchased a felt kit to make a tree skirt in the same style as our stockings. Funny thing, our tree skirt got put on major hold as I got fully caught up in wedding planning. I am so excited to display the tree skirt! Now that I finished the skirt, I will start the felt Christmas wreath I purchased at the same time as the tree skirt. I have too many projects in the making...years in the making! Don't get B started on my scrapbooking box. It's big. I could fit in it. Except not because it is filled with 29 years of crap my memories!

Christmas Movies

Apparently, I was raised under a rock because I never saw movies like It's A Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street growing up. I don't think I saw Christmas Vacation until my twenties! I know, tragedy! My goal for this tradition is to collect at least one Christmas movie every year to create a holiday collection that my family can enjoy all holiday season long. We'll sip hot chocolate and turn the air conditioner down {darn Florida temperatures!} and snuggle up under blankets watching festive movies! We were gifted It's A Wonderful Life and Holiday Inn two years ago and I purchased Four Christmases a couple years ago. What should I add to the collection this year?

Christmas Village

A few years ago I became an old lady and started a tradition of collecting those little villages that you see at your grandma's house ;) My little collection makes me so happy. My tradition is to collect at least one piece a year. If I could, I would buy a whole village but it is a fun tradition I look forward to every year. I try to collect something relevant to us. The first thing one I bought was a seaside restaurant since we live by the water. Since then I have added a lighthouse and a brewery...you know, because we like beer. I was really thoughtful with my selections so far, don't you think? ;) Come to think of it, I wanted to get a bridal shop last year since we were getting married but I never did. I think that means I get to buy two! Right, Bri? I do have a little bride and groom figurine though.

Christmas Card

Last year was so exciting {for so many reasons} because we finally got to send out our first photo Christmas card. This is one thing I had been saving until after we were married. We had sent out cards together but I always wanted to send out a photo card with my Husband. It's the little things right? Our first card was extra special and exciting because we had been married for only a few weeks, it was a picture from our wedding day AND Bri designed the card. He is so talented! He sat down and figured it how to design it in a matter of hours. He had never made something like that before. {Bragging!}
Last year's card:

Advent Calendar

One of my beloved childhood memories! It was so fun to open the paper "doors" and eat chocolate! My goal is to make the Kozell's our very own custom advent calendar out of fabric or something. Unfortunately, it won't be done by this year. There is always next year! This year I made a paper bag advent calendar. I am really happy with the results as I whipped this up pretty quickly...& 6 days late! We finally enjoyed it for the first time last night. I will share it tomorrow.

{via}

Christmas Ornament

For several years now we have been collecting Christmas ornaments during our travels. That's tradition number 1. We also collect an ornament for each year preferably with the year on it. That's tradition number 2. We put our wedding invitation in an ornament. I plan to continue this with every baby shower invitation, birth announcement, birthday party invitation - you name it! That's tradition number 3.

For the future:

Tree Trimming Party

For years, I have been itching to have a Tree Trimming Christmas Party! I have great memories of decorating the tree with family and friends when I was growing up. It is a tradition I always knew I wanted to continue as an adult. I also knew it was something I wanted to save for when Brian and I got married and we bought a house. We lived together for 6 years before we got married last December. To be honest, when people ask how married life is, I tell them it is basically like before married life was. And that makes me happy because before married life was pretty damn awesome with Brian. Being able to call him my Husband and be his Wife is just the icing on top of the cake. We have been essentially married for years so saving family traditions to start once we were married makes it more special.

Holiday Mantle
I swear, if I have to buy an electric fireplace just to have a mantle then I will! I would love, love, love to have a fireplace. I want to hang my stockings, garland, tree trimmings, etc. At the very least, when we buy a house I want to install a heavy duty shelf somewhere so that I can use it like a mantle. All.year.long! We really need to get a house!

Christmas Pajamas
I cannot wait to start this tradition with my Hubby when we have little minis running around. If you have kids, you need to check out Pajama Elves. I have heard of this for years but my family never did this. I might just have to start this tradition this year. Totally normal when you don't have kids, right?

{via}

And I am sure I will jump on the Elf on the Shelf bandwagon one day too! It is taking all my willpower to not start this tradition this year with no children. Hubby would look at me like I am nuts but I would have so much fun!

{12.1.12 - Best day of our lives!!}

This is truly the most wonderful time of the year!
It's going to be Legen - wait for it - merry. Legenmerry! {Barney Stinson, anyone?}

xo
-{AMK}-