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December 14, 2020
BUYBUY BABY, Christmas

Creating Christmas Family Traditions & Being okay when they Change

Thank you buybuy BABY for sponsoring this post!

This post title includes one thing I love and one thing I hate 😉 It is no secret that I love traditions! I gush over them on the blog all the time! That second half is not always easy for me but it is a MUST if I want to enjoy the holidays. 2020 isn’t the only holiday season that has messed up my plans. There was the december I was SO sick because I was in my first trimester with Hilde and the Thanksgiving Day we watched my nieces and nephews while my brother-in-law was rushed to the hospital. Not every holiday season promises to go as planned. Many of us are walking that reality this year but there is no guarantee that 2021 will be smooth walking, or the year after that, or the year after that. ​​​​​​​

Last year a Christmas gift for Hilde turned into a new tradition for our family. For as long as the girls will let me, we’ll be picking up a mini tree and tying it up on our Little Tikes car and making them take photos 😉 Just before we took these photos we went back to level red so instead of it just being the girls, Bruce and I joined in on the fun. We already get matching jammies every year, so I thought why not wear them now? And every day until Christmas since we have nowhere to go 😉

There are some traditions we cannot do this year. Like go to our Christmas Concert & Christmas evenings at the Broadmoor. But there are so many we still can do. Like get matching Christmas pajamas, decorate the tree, get a new ornament, and the list goes on.

2020 is a WEIRD year but it is not all bad. These memories the four of us make in our backyard are magical. And honestly just as magical to our little girls who get to drive their car around with a tree just their size! It’s Millie’s first Christmas and that makes it special so I’m holding onto all the firsts with her.

Tips for creating Family Traditions

  • Try new things. One of the ways to create new traditions is to try new things
  • Embrace the small things too. Not every tradition is big and over the top. Reading a book together, making cookies, doing a craft, wearing Christmas jammies and watching a movie, etc.
  • Do things your family likes. HAHA. But really, if you try a tradition and no one likes it, don’t force it!
  • Ask your friends and family their favorite traditions to get new ideas.
  • READ MORE: How to Make New Traditions and Keep the Old

Tips for Being Okay with Changed Plans

  • Figure out if you can do a “twist” on the tradition to still make it happen in a new way. Like watch a Christmas Concert at home while you sip on fancy holiday drinks.
  • Change your perspective and think of something you CAN do. I get so overwhelmed thinking of all the things I can’t do, but when I think of things I can do, it makes it better.
  • Plan ahead. As much as you can, be ready to pivot your plans as things change.
  • Brainstorm things you can do this year and get them on the calendar so they happen. Having things to look forward too (like getting matching jammies in the mail!)

What are some traditions you are celebrating this year?!?!

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Hello + Welcome!

I’m Elizabeth, a Colorado photographer and blogger. I’m also a wife, mama, sister, daughter, and friend! Welcome to Oak + Oats! Here we look for the remarkable in the every day. We love photographing our daily moments, making memories, and sharing our favorite places here in this space.

Our happiest days are spent together – many of those with a camera in hand! My free time (ie: Nap Time) is spent behind my computer screen sharing our tips and stories with you! I’m glad you’re here!

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We LOVE the Lamplight album scripture songs from @ We LOVE the Lamplight album scripture songs from @johannamusgrave ❤️ We have the CD in our car and listen to it while we drive around town. Hilde is only 2 but I hear her singing along with the songs in the back of the car - already hiding the Word of the Lord in her heart! But the girls are not the only one benefiting from scripture memory! This mama has all the songs memorized now which means I have 26 more verses memorize + all of Psalm 23! Scripture memory has never been easy for me but song memory has always been ridiculously easy - making this such a gift! ❤️
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Colossians 3:16 tells us to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" and Deuteronomy 6:4-9 tells us to take His words to heart, talk about them, live them, write them, and teach them to our children! Scripture memory keeps us rooted and focused. And it doesn't have to be a chore. ⁠This album is just a simple way to make a big impact in our hearts and the hearts of our children! ⁠❤️
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And make sure you check out #FaithFilledFridays where you are invited to share what the Lord is teaching you. And also check out these lovely ladies who posted today!⁠
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@nurseryrhymeville⁠
@kirklandmeadowsfarm⁠
@bethanykimsey⁠
@shannacrowell⁠
@oakandoats⁠
@anndunagan⁠
@thecashells⁠
@mrsquinnkelly⁠
@atwinkleintheireyes⁠
@ardentarrows⁠
@heidi_postier
Looks like a classic case of Sisterhood of the Tra Looks like a classic case of Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress 😂 This dress was my Grandma Lauretta's when she was a baby in 1930 making it nearly a hundred years old! My mom took photos of my sister and I in this dress 30 years ago and I borrowed it for Hilde in 2019 and now Millie in January😍 I don't know how much more life this dress has in it but we're hoping to get all of the great granddaughters! I wrote a post on the blog today with more pictures and lots more thoughts but I'm just so thankful for this heirloom and the ability to capture these moments in time! My daughter's never got to meet my grandma but they did get to wear her baby dress!
Really excited about our Easter Baskets this year! Really excited about our Easter Baskets this year! I saw these baskets on @potterybarnkids and I knew they were perfect for the girls!😍 I love the smaller size because it helps me keep their Easter baskets intentional and curated 🙌🏼 We always include a book and some kind of stuffed animal / doll. This year we are doing custom verse dolls from @babybeblessed and I'm just so excited! I'll be sharing our final Easter basket when I have all of the items together!💕 Do you do Easter baskets each year? 👇🏼
Another photo of these two best friends! 😍 To b Another photo of these two best friends! 😍 To be honest, I've been a bit overwhelmed lately with feeling like I need to curate everything and have perfectly captioned posts. With thoughtful thoughts and helpful tips and deep feelings and memories I want to hold on to. Post with photos that show brands that kind of work I do. Captions and photos that resonate with people and encourage them. Pressure to make sure each photo is edited perfectly. And I do, I really do miss being able just to post a picture. back in 2012 I didn't even use captions half the time 😂😂 I don't really have a point for all this I just wanted to post this picture. And it may or may not perfectly match my feed. And it may or may not be the best photo I've ever taken in my life. And it may not have great advice or inspirational words that you the reader can take to heart. But here it is for what it is and I'm okay with that... I think 😜
Talking baby bums! #ad Our littlest is teething wh Talking baby bums! #ad Our littlest is teething which means she's more likely to get diaper rash 😭 That's why we have @triple.paste_summers.labs in our nursery to soothe + heal those rashes fast! Sharing more on the blog today! #triplepaste #babieslovetriplepaste
Afternoon hangs 💕 Afternoon hangs 💕

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