Full of the holiday spirit this year and every year before this, I thought it would be a great time to show my readers a few of the wonderful joys I do with my family during the holiday season that keeps us in the spirit of Christmas. The following are in no particular order but are what my family and I enjoy doing best to keep the festive feeling alive. I would love to know what you and your family do during the holiday season. Whether it is starting your Christmas countdown in July or buying marked down Christmas decorations on December 26^th of the year before, whatever you choose is your joy this Christmas.

For the first joy of Christmas, the family tends to get all excited when those giant toy catalogs start coming in the mail. My children have made it a tradition to go through the catalog and start writing their Christmas List—in November! But, my husband and I love seeing them working together to write their wish-list for potential gifts.

For the second joy of Christmas, the family tends to skip all that Black Friday hoopla and go straight to Home Depot, which is the only store we have gone to every year for our Christmas tree. So, while everyone is out rubbing elbows and shoving old ladies out of the way for that final price item, my family is looking for that perfect tree to bring home. We have never done artificial. A real tree is always so fresh and deliciously scented.

For the third joy of Christmas, the family tends to decorate the Christmas tree together after it has settled and the entire house along with it. Putting up lights on the inside with the kids, while my husband works on the exterior is something we do every year. We just love to enjoy the wonderful scent of pine in the home with the twinkling lights giving the home a more festive feel.

For the fourth joy of Christmas, the family tends to either donate to charities like The Salvation Army or we adopt a family for the holidays. My children have gone many Christmases giving up their own gifts to adopt a family and help give them a Christmas that they couldn’t have. As a mother, I couldn’t be more proud of them for choosing to give to others. When they do, Santa always leaves them a large gift under the tree and a letter telling them how wonderful they are.

For the fifth joy of Christmas, my family tends to watch hours and hours of Christmas movies. Between all those cutesy Hallmark and Freeform movies, we always make sure to have time for classics like Elf, A Christmas Story, Grinch, and Polar Express.

For the sixth joy of Christmas, my family tends to love going on drives or walks around the community at night. The Christmas lights are beautiful and spectacular. The kids jump from one side of the car to the other, which is funny to see when they are yanked back by the seatbelt. When we walk around, we like to bring the dog with us to join us in the holiday spirit.

For the seventh joy of Christmas, my family tends to go to musicals, plays, or any holiday events going on around town. Sitting there with the family, enjoying the spectacle that is the holidays, we spend a great time together and recommend you do the same. Your local performing arts center will always put a few shows together. Doing so makes it a great way to support the community during the holidays.

For the eight joy of Christmas, my family tends to listen to Christmas music as we are cleaning the house. This may not sound like something super crazy, but for us, it is a lot of fun. The kids swing the broom around like a seasoned dance partner and the duster like a magical wand. We especially love it when we sing-out-loud and out of tune and watch Dad cringe and complain.

For the ninth joy of Christmas, my family tends to make a large, decorative, delicious treat. From gingerbread houses to marshmallow Christmas trains, we tend to do a different one every year. Along with that, we make homemade chocolate chip cookies for the kids and Santa.

For the tenth joy of Christmas, my family tends to love sitting around together in the living space and drink hot chocolate. Unfortunately, because we live in Florida, our cool days vary and are rare, so when we do get a cool day or a few cool days, we take full advantage of it.

For the eleventh joy of Christmas, my family tends to read Twas the Night before Christmas as our Christmas traditional book. The kids love hearing the story every year, and I love reading it to them.

For the twelfth joy of Christmas, my family loves to share Christmas morning with a delicious breakfast with hot chocolate or warm apple cider. Afterwards, we sit around the living space and open up gifts. The best part is preparing it with the kids and playing with them. The joys on their faces are priceless.

There are so many other things you can enjoy this holiday with your own family. Fellow writer, Briana Polka, wrote 50 Fun Things To Do Around Christmas Time last year with fantastic things to do this holiday season. I can only hope you find the joys that work for you and your loved ones. Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad. Happy Holidays!