It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
The holidays always bring about a blend of happiness and nostalgia. It’s the perfect time to embrace old traditions and start new ones. These are five ways that I celebrate the holiday season
1. Get in the holiday spirit
The holiday season brings me so much joy and I really try to hold on to every second of it. First, this means getting a real Christmas tree to decorate. When I lived in California, we drove up to the tree farm in the mountains to choose the perfect one. It also means that after Thanksgiving, the evergreen, holly and lights go up and Christmas music can be heard from every room. These little things bring me such joy all season long!
2. Host friends or family
One of the best parts of this time of year is being reunited with old friends and family members who live in different corners of the world. It’s my favorite part about coming home to California for Christmas. It’s the season of togetherness and one way to embrace that is by hosting friends over for a cozy potluck dinner. No matter how crazy the season can get, it’s important to slow down and enjoy the company you keep.
3. Spend a day baking for friends and family
There is nothing better than getting in the kitchen with family, blasting Christmas music and baking up a storm. One holiday tradition that I love is our annual Christmas Eve baking day. We spend the entire day baking for the neighbors and carolers. It comes as no surprise that I show love through food and this is one occasion that I get to do just that!
4. Make a gingerbread house (or a savory CHEESY house)
Cozy up by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa and spend an evening building gingerbread houses. Typically we associate gingerbread houses with everything sweet — think candy canes and gumdrops. Not anymore! This year, I partnered with Cello Whisps to build a SAVORY house made with pretzels, cheese glue, rosemary & 100% cheese protein-packed parmesan & cheddar cheese Whisps. After all, not everyone is a gingerbread and gumdrop lover.
5. Embrace the season of giving
Isn’t it true that giving is more rewarding than receiving? I am especially mindful this time of year. While donating food is easy for me as a food blogger, I look for new ways to give back go to my community each year. It can be as simple as baking cookies for the local fire station, donating food to the local food bank or sending holiday cards to active-duty military and veterans.
What are some ways that you enjoy the holiday season? Share with me on Instagram!
This post was sponsored by Whisps.
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