Family Traditions: Sights, Scents, and Special Meals for Christmas

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Last Updated on November 14, 2023 by The Smetz Files

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In this post I highlight some of my family’s favored Christmas traditions.

Strand of colored Christmas lights

Sights, Scents, & Special Meals

For some the holidays bring joy and peace. They offer a time for family gatherings, travel, and seeing loved ones you don’t frequently see. The holidays can be a time for enjoying memories from celebrations past and a time to create new traditions as families grow. 

With the holidays quickly approaching, which Christmas traditions are you most looking forward to?

In addition to the time spent with family and friends, it’s the sights and scents of the holidays that resonate for me.

Fresh Pine

I love the scent of fresh pine that accompanies a live Christmas tree. But I don’t love the labor involved with sustaining a live tree during the holidays. Since Jay and I were married I’ve burned this Mistletoe scented candle. Each year I am excited to place them around the house and light them to enjoy the scent of fresh pine. I am giddy just writing about these candles, they are always the first sign of Christmas at our house. I light them in various rooms and their fresh scent permeates the house. 

Sweet Treats

My paternal grandmother, who I never got to meet, used to make thin oatmeal cookies for Christmas. My dad loved them and always talked about how good they were. Unfortunately we didn’t have my grandmother’s recipe, so I searched for one a few years ago on Pinterest and made these to surprise my dad. He appreciated my efforts and claimed they were as good as the ones his mother used to make. The ones I make don’t always look pretty, but they taste good and it feels good to fulfill a family tradition that was important to my dad. S has gotten into helping me make them, so hopefully it’s a recipe that will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. 

Special Meals

Traditionally my family celebrates Christmas Eve with dinner and going to church. As kids, once dinner was over we could open one present. As I grew up I learned this was because my dad couldn’t wait for us to open presents! Even now, as our family has grown, he is the first to clear his plate and urge us into the living room to distribute a gift to each family member. 

At some point over the years, as my brother and I got married and had kids, the Christmas Eve family meal transitioned from roast beef and sides to Mother’s legendary spaghetti. This was partly because we tried to accommodate busy schedules and limited windows of time to have all of us under one roof, but it was also a request from us kids. We loved having Mother’s spaghetti and our kids now love it, too. Regardless of everyone’s travel plans we make a point to have Christmas Eve dinner with my family, eating Mother/Grandmother’s spaghetti, and of course, Dad/Granddad makes sure we open one gift! [No link to share here, you know how secret family recipes go? :)]

Twinkling Lights

Of course, what kind of Christmas season would it be without riding around to enjoy the holiday light displays?! Some people go all out! My dad always had a knack for finding the grandest, most elaborate Christmas decorations. Each year we rode around and looked at the lights, often obscure, off the beaten path streets. He loves to load up the grandkids and ride around looking for the best yard decorations and light displays. The kids are awestruck and he just grins at their reactions. The last few years my kids have recommended houses for Granddad to go see, so it’s something they enjoy scouting out together. 

Multicolor tree lights

Bonus Point

One other thing I love about the holiday season is all the plaid! I’m a huge fan of tartan plaid in vibrant reds and the Stewart plaid from J Crew that features black as the anchor hue. If you see me out and about anytime during December you’ll likely spy me wearing plaid in some fashion. From button ups to accessories, I am mad for plaid! Find my favorite affordable holiday looks.

So, what are the sights, scents, and special meals that signal it’s the holidays for you and your family?