For me, the holidays are all about coziness and intentional slowing down. It's less about doing everything and more about creating a warm little pocket of calm.

Some of my favourite traditions are wonderfully simple: baking far too many cookies (most of which mysteriously disappear before they're "meant" to be shared), putting on festive music while decorating the tree, and rewatching the same handful of holiday films (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, etc.) every year because the predictability is part of the comfort. Curling up in the evening with a hot drink, a blanket, and something familiar on the screen is honestly one of the highlights of the season.

A quieter tradition I've grown especially fond of is carving out time to read when things finally slow down. It started as a way to decompress after busy Decembers, but it's become something I really look forward to: a reminder to rest, reflect, and reset before the new year.

This year, I'm hoping to be more deliberate about unplugging and holding space for quality time with family and friends. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are usually busy days in my circle and can be a bit hectic, but there's something special about getting together, enjoying a hearty meal, and finishing the day with board games and stories.

Yes! This is the perfect Christmas vibe!


My family's Christmas traditions are still evolving because the kids are so young, but there are a few things that seem to have become traditions for us already!

In late November/early December, we tend to put the Christmas tree and decorations up while the kids are sleeping, so they get a surprise in the morning. We order a takeaway and watch a Christmas movie while we do it. We also bring out the kids' Christmas books at the same time and place them near the tree for them to explore.



In December, we all have chocolate advent calendars! Apart from my youngest who (this year at least) has a book advent calendar. Throughout the month, we listen to Christmas songs and watch looooots of Christmas movies! See here for our favourites. We buy matching pyjamas to wear during the month and on Christmas Eve. We try to do some Christmas-themed baking with our eldest and plenty of crafts!

This year, we're hoping to do the whole leaving a cookie and milk for Santa and carrot for Rudolph tradition on Christmas Eve as our eldest is finally old enough to understand!

On Christmas Day, we tend to have a nice, relaxed morning opening presents in pyjamas. Then we eat our body weight in chocolate and watch Christmas movies or sport while cooking Christmas Dinner, then somehow find space in our stomachs to eat it! Generally, we like a slow, relaxed Christmas day as much as possible. The following day tends to be when we see family.

I love how cozy and intentional your holiday traditions sound it really highlights the beauty and importance of slowing down and cherishing the little moments. Also super comforting to read about how people create their own special pockets of calm and joy, even if they look different from each other. Just really nice finding the similarities in our differences and makes the season feel connected

Growing up, my mom loved Thanksgiving, so we didn’t decorate for the holidays until December. It became a tradition for me and the kiddos to put up our two little Christmas (fake) trees either the evening of November 30th or first thing on December 1st (depending on if it's a school day). In Japan, fireplaces are not common, so I bought a little battery operated one to place by the trees add to the ambiance.

I also make paper bag Advent calendars for the boys with a small surprise inside each day. Last year, my youngest had the brilliant idea of peeking in the bags, and of course, he'd spoil the surprise for his older brother. So this year I individually wrapped each gift. The bags are hung off macramé rings, secured with simple macramé knots.

A fun twist I've come to embrace since moving to Japan is the Christmas KFC tradition. Christmas itself isn't THE tradition of the season (that's New Years) It's a huge deal here (I think because of some advertising from back when?) and we always get a set menu that the three of us go to pick up. Once we're home, the KFC gets added all the other dishes I’ve spent the day preparing with my two sous chefs. My youngest has claimed mashed potatoes as his official job since he was three. For dessert, I make a Christmas cake, which is a light fluffy sponge with whipped cream and strawberries between the layers (the traditional Japanese Christmas cake). The boys go all out decorating the top however they want.

We also keep the tradition of cookies and milk for Santa, plus nine carrots for the reindeer. This year, I’m passing on some of the "Santa duties" to my oldest, who now knows the ~secret~. He has become Santa’s little elf, helping me pick out gifts for his younger brother. It's been pretty fun teaming up with him and seeing him step into a facilitation role along with me

While it is pretty cold this time of year, we also have a tradition of spending the whole day at a large National Government Park (Japan's first, actually!) and stay even after it gets darks by participating in park's annual holiday lights and koyo (紅葉―Japan's autumn foliage, specifically the vibrant red, orange, and yellow colors of fall maple leaves and a cultural tradition of viewing them like cherry blossom viewing in spring).

In Japan, New Year's is arguably THE most important holiday of the year, combining the significance of both Western Christmas and Thanksgiving. One of our favorite traditions is visiting the local shrines during Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year. They especially look forward to enjoying baby castellas (small, fluffy sponge cakes) and jaga butter (a combination of a whole steamed potato topped with a rich creamy butter and soy sauce mix).
For me the highlight is amazake, which is a warm sweet rice drink made from fermented rice. It's said to bring good health and happiness for the year ahead, so I always make sure to get a cup to sip as we walk around the shrine grounds.

Another significant part of our New Years tradition is the daruma doll. These small, round, figures symbolize perseverance and good luck―along with other things depending on their color. We always buy a new daruma for the year and wait until we get home to color in one of its eyes to make our individual wishes/ambitions for the year ahead― you fill in the other eye once your goal is achieved or the year has come to an end. It's a great way for us to reflect on their resolutions and hopes for the new year

We also bring back the daruma dolls from the previous year to the shrine where the shrine maidens and priests purify them in a ritual burning. The burning symbolizes the release of old energies and makes space for the new.