YOUR REAL ESTATE OFFICE IN ATLANTA URGES YOU TO START NEW HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

It might be a bit cliche to say that Christmas will be here before you know it. Still, it doesn’t make it any less true. It is also true that given the hectic pace of the holiday season, it makes it that much more difficult to create meaningful memories between now and the new year.

There are customs and traditions that surround the holidays that you cherished growing up. These are activities that you, your siblings and your parents loved and enjoyed together every year. Now that you have settled into your dream home and have a family of your own, it is time to start some holiday traditions of your own.

We are quite sure you have already implemented at least a few traditions, perhaps those you enjoyed as a child. While decorating the tree and making cookies for Santa is all fine and dandy, the more traditions you celebrate, the more memories you create.

Sterling Real Estate, your real estate office in Atlanta, offers holiday traditions you should start.

Visit A Tree Farm

Start the holiday season off right by loading up the family and heading to your local tree farm in search of the perfect tree. Chances are you will have more fun discovering the perfect tree than you ever imagined. In addition, many tree farms offer other activities including hay rides, sleigh rides and even the chance to see Santa himself.

Hot Chocolate Bar

Warming up hot chocolate and baking cookies might already be a holiday tradition in your family. If so, that is great; but step up the effort a notch and serve up a hot chocolate station. Your hot chocolate station should include mini marshmallows, colored sprinkles and whipped cream.

Christmas Light Road Trip

Pick a night, load the spouse and kids up in the family ride and drive around and enjoy the dazzling display of lights in the city. Don’t forget to pack a thermos or two of hot chocolate and bring along a few snacks as well.

Family Portrait

There is probably at least a few dozen selfies on your smartphone and a slew of pictures featuring your kids and spouse. But we are willing to bet you don’t have even one family portrait. Make it a holiday tradition to hire a real live photographer to take your family portrait. You can then use that picture to make Christmas postcards to send out or use it in your annual Christmas letter to friends and family.

You can then preserve these memories in a digital scrapbook and reflect on holiday seasons past.

Read The Classic Christmas Stories

You may already enjoy watching holiday movies every year. No doubt you have It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story on DVD. But do you have any classic Christmas books that you can read to the family?

If you want a family tradition that will create fond memories, pick out a few holiday books to read. We suggest starting off with The Nutcracker, The Polar Express and Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Reindeer Food

You make cookies and leave milk for jolly St. Nick, but what about the poor reindeer? It is not enough to leave a few carrots out for them to munch on, you need to get creative. Mix together some oats with colored sprinkles and put it in a bowl for the reindeer to enjoy.

Ornament Of The Year

Many families start collecting ornaments when the kids are young. No doubt most of these ornaments are from the children who made them. When they grow up, the tradition stops.

But you should continue the tradition by picking out one ornament every year that represents a life event of that year. For example, it might be a grandchild’s first Christmas or the year you and your spouse celebrated your 25th anniversary.

A Tradition Of Giving Back

Start a holiday tradition that helps others, gives back to the community and makes you feel good about yourself. You and your family can do something as simple as volunteering during the holiday season to gathering up clothing and shoes you no longer use and donating them to your favorite charity.

If you are ready to buy a house and start your own holiday traditions, give Sterling Real Estate a call.