Christmas in a New City

When we moved in September, I knew that a lot would change for our family. This made it even more imperative that we continue our favorite Christmas traditions this year, despite being in a new city. Moving also made it important to begin some new traditions and activities. Our kids are both under 10, and so while the change has been hard for them, I know that we’re doing everything we can to make sure that they remember this time fondly.

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Don’t Be Fooled…They Notice Change

Kids are smart. Don’t be fooled….they notice change and a lot of times they’ll tell you, too. I’ll give you an example. Yesterday I was asking them for their opinion on getting a take-out dinner for Christmas Eve when my oldest daughter says, “Mommy, why do you have to go and change all of our traditions?” Even though I’m not necessarily changing our traditions, she has already picked up on the fact that things are a little different this year.

Because things are different, I’m trying my best to make sure we still emphasize those traditions that we’ve carried with us to our new home. Our elves are out and still making fun mischief. The girls still get to decorate their own little tree. They get to bake and decorate cookies, too. We will still watch the same Christmas movies that we watch every year. And my husband will still make his infamous olive dip like he does every year. No matter where we go, these are traditions that don’t have to change.

Creating Some New Memories

Don’t be afraid to create some new memories and traditions, too. Part of the exciting thing about moving to a new place are the new opportunities. When we left Maryland, we knew we’d be leaving behind some of our favorite places to visit during the holidays. But so far we’ve found some pretty neat things to do here, too. Just the other day we visited Christmas on the Farm, a free walk-through light display put on by generous people in the community.

We’ve found other ways to start new traditions since moving to North Carolina. One of the most exciting things we’ve done so far this holiday season was participating in the County Christmas parade. It was a first for my girls. They got to ride along with their other Girl Scout troop members as they waved to the crowds and us parents handed out candy. It was definitely a fun experience!

Another fun experience was hosting our first ever cookie decorating playdate with our new friends. Moving to a new state can be hard, especially when you don’t know anyone. So, it has been a priority of mine to make sure that the girls get out and meet new people. Having their friends over was a great way to play, to get to know our new friends more, and to celebrate the holiday season. Hopefully we’ll get to do it again next year!

It Doesn’t Matter Where You Are

It truly doesn’t matter where you are, just who you are with. At a young age, most kids don’t understand that yet, though. Moving to a new state, or even a new town for that matter, right before the holiday season can be hard. It can create an uncertainty in your children that they may not have experienced before. But those traditions….they create a sense of security and familiarity within the mind of a child.

And so while the rest of the world is changing, growing and looking different each day, I’m doing my best to make sure that my girls have the best Christmas ever. I’m not talking about the gifts, either. I want this Christmas in a new city and new state to be filled with so many fun memories, even if the holiday season doesn’t feel the same as years past. I truly do my hope that my girls learn that it doesn’t matter where you are, just who you are with.

That’s a Wrap

As Christmas closes in and the New Year is right around the corner, I just want to say thank you. I want to say thank you for sticking around and being part of my story. This year hasn’t been easy. Building a blog from the ground up, and then rebuilding it seven months later, has been one of the hardest things I’ve done professionally. But I am so excited to see what 2023 has in store for me. The last few months have been filled with so much self-doubt, and yet all of a sudden, I have a sense of hope and determination to make the new year better.

From my family to yours, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with warmth and love. Hopefully it’s filled with lots of yummy goodies, too! That’s a wrap for 2022. I’ll see you in the New Year.

-Meg