The holidays are my favorite time of year. I love the cooler weather, spending time with family and friends, and of course, all the activities that come with the holidays! One of my favorite Christmas traditions is making gingerbread houses with my three kids! It’s so much fun to see how creative they can be. (And how messy!) It’s a great family experience, and Christian and Olivia love snacking on all the goodies too. Here’s a really simple recipe you can use to make your own gingerbread houses with your family. Another favorite tradition of mine is the Christmas pageant at our church. The kids are in it every year! Faith is really important to me and my family, and I love hearing the story of Mary and Joseph every year. We also attend mass each year on Christmas Eve to reflect on what really matters during the Christmas season. But this year, the Christmas season has an extra special meaning to my family. It’s my son Samuel’s first birthday! I can’t wait to host Christmas at my house this year so we can gather my extended family to celebrate the holidays and Samuel’s first birthday on the 26th. It’s been such a wonderful year watching him grow and experience the world, and having his birthday so close to Christmas makes this time of year that much more memorable. And, of course, what would Christmas be without a photo with Santa! Well, maybe Samuel will enjoy the visit with Santa more next year. What are some of your family holiday traditions? I’d love to hear about them in the comments! Merry Christmas from the Gutierrez family!