I think almost everyone thinks their family has the best Christmas traditions. But seriously, by family has THE BEST Christmas traditions. hahaha I guess it’s all what you’re used to but I love my family’s traditions. I think I’m even more aware of everything this year just because I know next year traditions will change. Ben and I will make new traditions…but I know I’ll still try to cling onto the old traditions. Maybe I’ll just force Ben into my traditions! hahaha.

I just love Christmas, I think it runs in my family…especially on my mom’s side. And Christmas for me begins as soon as Thanksgiving is done. We spend Thanksgiving with my Aunt Karen and her family and the pretty much the rest of my mom’s family. Then the day after Thanksgiving we all go out together and cut down a tree, bring it home and decorate it. We have Christmas dinner that night and open presents after since we’re all spread out on actual Christmas. The whole weekend has become known as “Thanksmas”. After that weekend it’s all about getting ready for Christmas! There’s decorating the inside and outside of our house, Light Up Night in Pittsburgh, shopping, baking cookies, building fires, Christmas cards, movies & specials, and songs….you know the drill. And amidst all of that going to church and remembering the real reason for Christmas.

Light Up Night pretty much starts the holiday season…this year Santa shook his butt at the children…a bit weird.

I love taking pictures at night because of the challenges with light. And my new favorite thing to do is put firework pictures in black and white! I think it looks sweet.

I also finally completed a goal of mine since I was little to make a gingerbread house! My house is on the left and Maddy & Steve’s is on the right. Steve built a nice house but Maddy gave up and my mom finished the decorating. Oh and Sophie wanted to help to!

This year we started a new tradition and took cookies and icing up to my cousins, Jackie and Colson. And Colson who is normally quiet and attached to my Aunt Shelley was totally in his element! And yes when I asked for him to pose for a picture he closed his eyes and did the T Rex pose.

I think these next two pictures should be their Christmas picture next year.

Jackie is my little mini me. She was so particular about her cookies and yelled at Colson for “wasting the cookies.”

They’re my favorite!

Almost every year by dad takes all of us out for a Christmas dinner after church. This year we went to Cheesecake Factory! And we had a great time!

When you ask my parents for a picture this is usually the series you get.

And last year my sisters, my cousin Tim (I call him Timmy & Timitay), and I baked and iced cookies together. So this year we continued the tradition….and the amount of people grew!

That would be Mike Wallace, Nick Jonas and a lumberjack.

Heather made the Grinch and Steve stopped announcing when he finished a cookie after this picture…because I kept taking pictures of the completed cookies. And Timmy made the annual Christmas duck!

Maddy liked to take the broken cookies and turn them into other cookies like a bowling ball and a bunny. And that’s my grandma or “Grr” and her santa.

My gingerbread’s arm broke off so this was the perfect fix!

Some people are more particular than others

Next I’ll show you some of the Porada’s Christmas Eve and Christmas traditions!