Christmas Week Traditions

This Christmas season has been the best I have ever experienced!

Thomas and I started the week of Christmas off by visiting Santa Land, a drive through lights display, in Tyler. We took our time getting there and made somewhat of a road trip out of it. We stopped at one of our favorite places in Canton, and managed to grab some cookies from Collin Street Bakery before enduring the long lines of Santa Land!

We commemorated the trip with a new ornament for our tree. A wooden shaped Texas with "Santa Land, Tyler, Texas" engraved.

One of my most favorite traditions that Thomas and I adopted after we began dating was a Christmas dinner with both of our amazing moms. This year, Thomas' mom picked Abacus, a Kent Rathbun restaurant, that seriously blew us all out of the water. 

We had the most amazing dinner! I am so lucky to be able to continue this amazing tradition with the amazing women who raised each of us.

And finally it was Christmas Eve. I feel like I wait for this day all year long. 

Cookie decorating is not normally something Thomas would totally enjoy, but after a few games of me kicking his butt in Uno, he was all in for a change of pace. I found the most amazing butter cookie recipe (to follow later), and instantly decided these were our new Christmas Cookies!

I may have forgotten to buy Christmas colored sprinkles when I purchased my cute little gingerbread men, none the less, they were to die for!

Thomas and I woke up bright and early to open our gifts to each other. He never disappoints in anything he does. Thomas gives the BEST, most thoughtful gifts, and this year was no exception!
Christmas Day was spent split between my family and Thomas, as it always it.
My grandmother joined us for Christmas at my moms, accompanied by her specialty breakfast of biscuits and gravy. My grandmother has always had such a huge impact on my life, and I am so thankful for everything she has done and continues to do for me. I really wish I would have taken a picture with her before the day was over.

Our day was filled with tons of family, lots of food, and quite an abundant amount of amazing presents.

I am so grateful to be able to celebrate such an amazing Christmas season!