Celebrating Together: Blending Christmas Traditions

Christmas is one of the most beautiful times of the year—a season full of love, celebration, and reflection. For couples, it can also be a unique opportunity to blend traditions, create new ones, and grow closer as you navigate this special season together. Combining holiday customs doesn’t have to feel overwhelming; it can be a joyful process that brings you both closer. Here are some ideas to make the journey meaningful and fun, along with a few stories from our own experience.

1. Share the Stories Behind Your Traditions

   • Take time to explain why certain customs are important to you. Whether it’s the way you decorate the tree or the timing of gift-opening, understanding each other’s "why" can make blending traditions more meaningful.

2. Pick and Choose Together

   • Decide on a few traditions from each of your backgrounds to keep. Maybe it’s a favourite meal, a Christmas Eve ritual, or a certain way of gift-giving. Honour both of your histories by making intentional choices together.

3. Create New Traditions as a Couple

   • Start something that’s uniquely yours! It could be a shared activity like cooking your holiday meal together, picking a yearly ornament, or volunteering during the season.

4. Compromise with Joy

   • Not everything will align perfectly, and that’s okay. Look for ways to compromise that make both of you feel valued, like alternating years for certain traditions or blending elements from both into something new.

5. Keep the Focus on Connection

   • Remember, the goal isn’t to perfect your holiday plans but to connect with each other. Let go of stress and embrace the little imperfections that make the season special.

When Ray and I got married, we each brought our own set of holiday traditions. At first, we weren’t sure how our traditions would come together, but over time, we grew to appreciate the blending of them. For instance, on Christmas morning, I grew up diving into gifts while still in my pajamas, and Ray preferred having breakfast first and getting dressed before gathering around our gifts. I eventually realized that having a full tummy made the present time even better—no hunger distracting us, and no chomping on candy from the stockings! Now, we’ve found a happy middle ground—enjoying coffee and breakfast together before opening gifts, which helps us savour the morning.

And with our turkey, we always have breaded casserole. Ray calls it "stuffing," I call it "dressing," and we both love our mothers’ recipes, so we make both! As for Christmas Eve, I always let my daughter open one gift, a tradition that wasn’t part of Ray’s holiday routine. But we’ve kept it alive because it brings so much joy to me—and to my kiddo!

Amid the hustle and bustle of blending traditions and checking off holiday to-dos, it’s so important to pause and remember what Christmas is truly about. It’s a season to celebrate love, generosity, and the Hope that brings us together. Blending traditions is a journey, but it’s one that can bring you closer together as a couple. Take time to laugh, reflect, and cherish the memories you’re creating. And above all, let the heart of Christmas—love, generosity, and connection—be your guiding light.