Creating special Christmas traditions makes the holiday season so memorable for many families. Growing up, my family had one Christmas tradition that nobody else I knew shared. Some of my absolute favorite childhood memories are tied into this tradition.
Every year during the holiday season, we held a family slumber party by the Christmas tree. We called it “sleeping under the tree.”
When I was a child, my sister and I would set up our sleeping bags as close to the tree as possible. My parents would usually bring a mattress downstairs into the living room for themselves. There were Christmas cookies and hot cocoa. We told stories and played Christmas music on the piano, all while snuggling up in the sparkling light. This night was magical every single year. One time, I even woke up and thought I saw Santa sitting on the couch (once I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, I realized it was my dad).
Now that we have our own children, we treasure this Christmas tradition too. I have videos of my oldest child jumping on the mattresses in Christmas pajamas when he was a toddler. And I have memories of the sleepover in the different homes we’ve lived in. Even though we spend a lot of time together as a family, there is something extra special about this sleepover. We set aside all of our responsibilities to spend this one night being together and appreciating the joy of the season.
This holiday tradition would work really well for families of any faith background. Whether you celebrate in a religious way, a nature-based way, or not at all. Some of the details will vary, but a sleepover with a few special touches is something your family members will cherish. I encourage you to try it, make it your own, and experience the magic with your family.
