The Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. Between the nostalgic music and festive decor, there’s so much to enjoy. And while everyone knows that gift-giving is a huge part of this holiday, that’s not what people end up cherishing the most. Rather, we tend to remember all of the fun, silly traditions that are unique to our families. Even when presents are involved in our favorite memories, the reason is often tied to the person who either received or gave the gift, rather than the gift itself.
Videos by InspireMore
Now that the most wonderful time of year has officially arrived, we here at InspireMore are reminiscing a lot about holiday traditions. In fact, our friends at QVC were kind enough to share some of their most cherished ones with us. Their heartfelt responses to our questions are sure to get you in the Christmas spirit — and you just might discover a new holiday tradition of your own!
Alberti Popaj
1. What’s something that’s a tradition for you during the holidays?
“Going to midnight mass on Christmas Eve always felt so special to me. The setting, the music, the lit candles, and the undeniable love and excitement that you can feel in the church. For me, it is truly one of the most beautiful sights.”
2. What’s one of the happiest memories involving that tradition?
“Being there with my family and watching my nephews and nieces participate in the nativity. It was definitely a proud uncle moment.”
3. What’s your favorite holiday memory with your friends/family?
“Snuggling up on the couch with all the lights off except for the Christmas tree, and watching classic holiday movies.”
Kerstin Lindquis
1. What’s something that’s a tradition for you during the holidays?
“We have a very blended family through my parent’s remarriage as well as lots of adoption and living in so many places that our friends are, our family. So, we celebrate traditions from many different parts of the world.
We do a Happy Birthday Jesus cake that came from my mom. It’s always brownies and always on Jesus’ birthday! We also do seven fishes on Christmas Eve and matching pajamas under the pillow on Christmas Eve.”
2. What’s one of the happiest memories involving that tradition?
“Our Christmas morning picture with kids, parents, and grandparents all in matching pajamas is one of my favorite visuals of the year, every year.”
3. What’s your favorite holiday memory with your friends/family?
“Our daughters first Christmas when they were infants, we had them baptized on Christmas Eve. Our entire blended family from both sides came to this gorgeous church in Malibu, Ca and we had Christmas Eve mass and baptized our little miracles. Of course, they cried the entire time, but it was real and lovely and so us.”
Vanessa Herring
1. What’s something that’s a tradition for you during the holidays?
“In our family, the ‘pajama elf’ visits on Christmas Eve to leave matching pjs for everyone! We haven’t always been able to be together, and when we’re not, the pajama elf mails them ahead of time. Then, we can all open them together on Christmas Eve, even when we’re far away! For dinner, we always order Chinese food!”
2. What’s one of the happiest memories involving that tradition?
“Christmas, two years ago, my family joined us here in Pennsylvania. My niece had just turned two, and was IN on the pj tradition! We all got dressed in our pjs, put a camera on a tripod, and took a festive family photo!”
3. What’s your favorite holiday memory with your friends/family?
“My husband and I have a lot of fun choosing gifts for each other — gag gifts, useful gifts, and things we know the other one wouldn’t buy for themselves. We’re usually so excited to give each other our gifts that we end up opening everything on Christmas Eve! We always end up laughing about it after!”
Shawn Killinger
1. What’s something that’s a tradition for you during the holidays?
“The kids always get to open one gift on Christmas Eve, and we always eat My Grandma’s coffee cake on Christmas morning. Oh and the biggest one: We always play Andy William’s ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ loud and proud the minute we wake up on Christmas morning!”
2. What’s one of the happiest memories involving that tradition?
“Every Christmas morning, e v e r y, the kids are required to wait on the top step of the stairs while ‘Dad’ goes downstairs to check out the Santa spread … and ‘Dad’ inevitably dials up the twitchy excitement with tons of ‘Oooohh’ & ‘Ahhhs’ so that by the time the kids are given the all clear, they storm down the stairs like a pack of wild animals.”
3. What’s your favorite Holiday memory with your friends/family?
“The year my brother and I pitched in to buy my dad, who was notoriously frugal, a Rolex watch. That year my dad had had open heart surgery, and for a guy who never ever splurged on anything remotely extravagant for himself, he burst into tears when he opened it on Christmas morning… which of course, broke us all!”
Christmas is such a magical time of year — not because of the gifts but because of the precious time spent with friends and loved ones. The InspireMore team and our friends at QVC wish you the happiest of holidays, not only this year but in all of the years to come!
*We couldn’t do all the good that we’re doing without incredible partners like QVC. We hope you’ll join us in supporting them!
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
