When I was a child I loved our family traditions. I would look forward to all of them - especially Christmas. Now that I am an adult and have a family of my own - I try to hold on to some traditions and create new ones as well. The goal is to have a fun holiday season.

As I am a child of the universe - I adapt and adopt different traditions based on where I am living. Now that my children are getting older those traditions and practices change constantly as well. The key is to be flexible.

candy snow pops - christmas 2017

When my children were at primary schooI, I looked forward to preparing something delicious for their respective classes christmas dinner. I did this for a total of 12 years. One of the most memorable, was when I helped my then 10 year old daughter to make these snow pops. The creative process was her idea - I just needed to assist her to ensure there was enough for her class. The treats were so creative and with the christmas tree in the background, this picture became our online christmas card that year.

However, that tradition is now over. I will share with you some of the seasonal traditions that I still enjoy.

Exploring cities

With the cities in all of Europe in the christmas sphere - it is always fun to go exploring. Buildings are beautifully decorated, inside

Fornum and Mason - London

and out.

Scheltema book store - Amsterdam

Shop windows

Bijenkorf - Amsterdam

and arcades too.

Regent street - London

Another lovely thing to do is to take a canal boat to observe the lights in the city. Every year it is a different theme.

There is always ice skating and a fair at christmas time.

Whether we are at home

or abroad - you will find us there.

Christmas tree decorating and online greeting card

The next tradition is what most people do every year - decorate their Christmas tree. Usually I buy a fir tree - take it home and the family assist with the decorations. Christmas would not be the same without a Christmas tree. The ornaments have not changed much but usually one or more are added to the tree each year. If that is the case - I tend to use that new addition for my online greeting card for that year.

christmas 2019

christmas 2020

Christmas parties

Parties are the order of the day during this time of year. One of my favorites is a pot luck dinner party that is with members of a wellness association. It is always a veritable feast.

a variety of dishes

cakes

I also attend an annual ladies gala which is always so much fun.

It is a time when all mothers from my son's football club get together - to have a great time. The tradition is over 85 years old and I have been attending for 10 years.

Attending or hosting dinners

Visiting family and good friends is top priority. I often do whatever I can to dine with good friends either at their place or ours. It starts from 21 to 24 December.

It is wonderful to have a good friend who is a top chef - her dishes are always creative.

They taste delicious too.

Christmas Day - 25 December is with my family in-law and their in-laws. Sometimes we are a gathering of 30 or only 13. Sometimes there is turkey on the table - sometimes there is not.

a well-seasoned turkey

On 26 December - breakfast/brunch is at my mother-in-law'' home. With christmas music in the background - it is the perfect setting and time to bring out the christmas crockery. haha

She is very creative and makes her own decorations which adds to the sphere and the cosiness of the home.

For my children, seeing their grandmother is almost the same as saying it is "mahjong time." The excitement is tangible as my teenagers get better and better at game.

Baking cookies with friends

Christmas cookie-making with friends is a very special tradition that my family and I love to do. We give cans of cookies to older folks at a nearby church and also family members. It is quite a production and deserves it own blog.

As you can see, there are many things happening during this season. It is all fun but I am happy that it is spread throughout the month of December to early January. This is no doubt that this is the most fun time of the year for my family and myself. It is truly a beautiful season with everywhere decorated. It is festive and also a time for caring and sharing with the extended family and friends - with nice conversations and delicious foods.

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All photos are my own