How We Celebrate the Holidays

Sandra D.

Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays—what's not to love about the twinkling lights, the smell of fresh trees, baking cookies and being able to spend time with people you care about? It is also a holiday I hold close to my heart because it is when my husband and I got engaged.

In my stocking that year was a small wooden box. In it was a note that read "Look for the shiniest ornament on the tree and that will be the best gift of all." After what seemed like an eternal hunt on the tree, I finally figured out exactly what he meant. On the paper-mâché flying Santa ornament that my sister had given me years ago, he had slipped on a beautiful engagement ring. It was a touching and romantic way to start our new life together and has since become one of our new holiday traditions!

Now when we decorate our Christmas tree, we always leave two ornaments until the end, the Chicago Bears candy cane ornaments that my husband likes to put up after everything else is on the tree and the cherished flying Santa. The Santa ornament is always placed on the tree last, and we always put it up together. It gives us a chance to reflect on the joy of starting our lives together and the many new memories we've been blessed to share ever since.

What romantic holiday tradition do you have with the one you love?