5 Holiday Traditions You Can Start This Year (and a giveaway for a 4-pound box of candy from Old Time Candy, ends 12/14)

This 5 Holiday Traditions You Can Start This Year post is sponsored.

Traditions are so important. I really can’t stress that enough. Traditions are the things you remember. They can be as simple as being able to pick your favorite Christmas cookie to make for Santa or as elaborate as driving cross country for the holidays every year. Even if you don’t have any in your past, you can start traditions this year. I’ve thought of five simple ones so you can start them now!

5 Holiday Traditions You Can Start This Year

1. Go to a tree lighting.
So watching a tree lighting is actually on our list for tonight. It’s our town’s tree lighting ceremony. Santa comes, some local students perform, and the tree is lit. We went two years ago because it was the first year the town had it (and it was walking distance from our apartment). We skipped last year because I cancelled Christmas. So we’re back this year. If your town (or one that is close) has a tree lighting, check it out. It’s a great way to start the holiday season and to support your local community.

2. Buy a new ornament.
This is my favorite one. Every year growing up, my mom would go shopping on December 26 (when everything is half price) and would buy me and my brothers a new ornament. I started the tradition when Pete and I moved in together. Every year, I get us a personalized ornament that reflects what we did that year. In 2012, I got one of the state of North Carolina since we moved that year. I also got us an engaged one because, well, it was a big year. In 2014, I got a just married one. The next year, I got a traveling one since we went to Japan. In 2016, I bought one for a new house. Our 2017 has been incredibly boring, so I’m not sure what to get this year, but I’ll figure it out.

3. Have your own “us only” Christmas.
Christmas is filled with us traveling to see friends and family. I love it, but I don’t love that it means Pete and I don’t really get to spend Christmas together. So the first year we were in North Carolina and traveling for Christmas, we started our “us only” Christmas. The Thursday before Christmas, we go out to dinner just the two of us, and we exchange some of our gifts. Not all of them because I do save some for Christmas morning, but just a few to make it feel like Christmas. It’s a nice way to just pause the season and hang out just the both of us before the chaos begins.

4. Watch Christmas movies.
Pete set up a long standing (like no end date) calendar alert to watch a movie every Thursday night. We started yesterday with Daddy’s Home, which was hilarious, by the way. We also watch a movie every Tuesday because of the trivia night we go to on Wednesdays. One round of questions is based on a movie. During December, the Tuesday movie will be a Christmas movie and then we’ll pick a different one for Thursdays. It’s a great way to spend some time together and stay in the holiday spirit.

5. Mail Christmas cards.
I love Christmas cards. I’ve given them out since, gosh, high school. Maybe even middle school. There’s something so special about thinking of people and sending a card. Every year, new friends get added, and that’s always something special. So is displaying the cards we get from family and friends. In fact, we’ve already gotten one card this year and it’s hanging on our fridge. This is a great one to start if you don’t mail them already.

Why start traditions?

Traditions bring nostalgia. Imagine years from now, heading to a tree lighting, and thinking, “Oh I remember the year we did this and it was so cold, we ran down the block to hide out in a coffee shop” (okay, so that was us a few years ago, but it could be you).

Or imagine decorating the tree in a few years and picking up an ornament with a suitcase, talking about a long forgotten trip you took. How fun to remember.

Or maybe your nostalgia stems from a piece of candy. Whenever I see those hard candies wrapped like strawberries, I always think of my dad’s stepmom. And then I think of the last Christmas we spent with her. I had a small gift (I was in fifth grade, so small was what my allowance could afford), but I couldn’t find it when we got to her house. We spent all day there and go back into the car to go home when I found it had fallen under the seat. I ran it back to her and she held it as she waved goodbye to us. She passed away a few weeks later. We went to her home to pack up her belongings, and I saw the gift (a jewelry box) on display on her vanity. I was so happy that she had opened it, loved it, and displayed it. I remember being so young and still being so happy that I ran back to give it to her.

If candy brings back happy memories for you, then you definitely want to look into Old Time Candy. The site sells retro candy, and you can choose the decade to fill either 2-pound or 4-pound boxes with. Opening the boxes and going through each candy will bring back such fun memories for your recipient. You can buy these at any time, but the holidays are perfect because the site has Christmas decades gift boxes. There are a bunch of fun designs you can choose from.

I picked the retro Christmas box for my dad for Christmas this year. He was born in 1955, and the site suggests you choose the decade when your recipient was 10. So I picked the 1960’s box. It came with some candies I had never heard of, like Slo Poke, and some that are so familiar to me, like candy buttons and waxed lips. I can’t wait to see his face when he opens the box.

My dad loves nostalgia. He loves telling stories and reminiscing. And he’s so good at remembering everything, especially names. So this is just perfect for him.

Is it perfect for someone on your list? You’re in luck. We are giving away one Station Wagon Christmas Decade Gift Box from Old Time Candy to one lucky winner. The giveaway starts now and ends at 11:59pm EST on December 14. The winner will be able to select the decade of the candy to fill the 4-pound box with. The winner must be a US resident who is 18 or older at the time of entry. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Drugstore Divas is not responsible for prize fulfillment.