Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas season all the way

Festivity is not over yet; it is actually just beginning! If you have said goodbye to thanksgiving and leftovers made into new dishes, then it is time you start the Christmas season. I bet you have made quite a few wins during Black Friday and even perhaps Cyber Monday, but beware! The shopping season has just reached its peak.

Christmas and New Year’s are around the corner. It is time you start thinking about your gifts, the food to cook for your family and maybe friends, and quite often New Year’s resolutions. An exhausting year is finally passing, and hope is on the horizon, so cheer up, turn on some Christmas carols, and let’s see what we can do to celebrate and beat the pandemic!

Christmas season: what is the plan?

Christmas season shopping rituals have already started with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Most of you must have nailed excellent deals; others who couldn’t don’t worry; discounts are still the trend thanks to the holidays' spirits.

Perhaps, many of you are already thinking about the tree. Well, it is better to buy one early and keep it around and decorate it maybe one step at a time or wait until all family gets home if that’s the tradition.

Christmas tree stores:

The Christmas tree is the essence of the holiday. Some have family traditions for choosing a tree, others pick one at the last minute, but none spends the night without a tree sitting in the corner, decorated, lit, and surrounded by presents.

The tree is the spirit of the whole occasion and you need to make sure you pick a good one just at the right time. The following list of stores could help you find what you are looking for and save you from messing Christmas up.

Christmas Tree Shops and That: with a mission to “surprise, inspire, and delight”, this shop is one of its kind. It offers unique and splendid products from drinks and food, to gift packs and furniture. The shop showcases products suited for different seasons and holidays; Christmas definitely takes up large space in the place.

You will have a variety of items to choose from per your taste and need. Decorative items, table sets, and wall hangings come in different colors and delightful shapes. If you are a DIY fan, you will definitely find the right items to use to create your own decoration items and surprise your family.

The Christmas Tree Shops and That for sure has a fun and unique name; what’s inside of it is even more exquisite. Take a trip inside the store, choose a tree, and shop for Christmas surrounded by warmth and joy.

Michaels: has several stores in different cities. The best thing about this Christmas tree store is that it provides same-day delivery. If you are running late on choosing your tree you can have it delivered to your address even as late as Christmas day! You can choose from their online store the tree that suits you, shuffle by size, shape, color, or even brand. Their curbside pickup can facilitate the shopping journey beyond expectations.

Amazon: is a life savior and incredibly helpful, especially for too busy people. It offers various trees options. They are mostly artificial, so that’s a bonus as you will not have to worry about taking care of them. Besides, they usually come in prelit, therefore, the job is done for you, just sit back and enjoy the view!

Christmas traditions:

Traditions are to be upheld; they might seem ridiculous sometimes and way out of date at other times, but they definitely bring the holidays to life!

As soon as the Christmas season starts, I start remembering my favorite movies and schedule when to watch them. Actually, my all-time favorite, and your favorite I reckon, is the Home Alone franchise! The adventures of young Kevin have proved to be a must-watch classic year after year. I am sure we all appreciate heartily laughter with loved ones around a cup of hot chocolate.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a movie to remind us all of the magic of Christmas, which we must never give up on, especially in such dark times.

Another tradition that speaks to my heart is wearing matching pajamas! It is definitely the time to buy a set of matching colorful pajamas for the family. Try something comfy that would add to the cozy atmosphere of Christmas morning. If you are lucky, you might still find a deal on pajamas in one of the stores offering huge discounts for the season.

You might not believe in luck, but you must definitely believe in the Christmas miracle! Hung your stockings by the fireplace and wish for fortune, perhaps another miracle comes true and you wake up to find a treasure inside!

Christmas only gets merrier with food! Cinnamon rolls, gingerbread, or any other recipes that you have inherited from your grandparents will do just fine for a Christmas breakfast feast. But before that, make sure you open a present and enjoy your wishes coming true! So dads and moms are the Santa your kids wish for and gift them a memorable present to celebrate a new beginning.

Rockefeller Center Christmas tree:

For a quintessential Christmas experience, you cannot miss visiting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. From 1931 onward, this tree has been a beacon of the holiday season and a symbol of festivity.

If you had missed the opening ceremony on December the first, you can still head to the center and enjoy the view as long as you can. The tree will stay in place until Christmas day and new year’s eve. It will be lit daily from 6 am to 12 am.

For those who haven’t seen it yet, believe it is worth visiting. New Yorkers must be familiar with it; for the others, I say that the Rockefeller tree lightening cannot be found anywhere else. It is lit with more than 50.000 colored led lights on 5 miles of wires.

It is a spectacular sight to cherish, so make sure you save an hour of your time to head to the Rockefeller center and admire the Christmas tree.

What are the best Christmas season foods?

Holidays are meaningless without food. How can anyone celebrate without having a full, colorful table set in the kitchen with fantastic scents and delicious food smell?

Most people have their own predetermined food menu, but it may be rewarding to try something new. An iconic list of Christmas dishes must for sure include the most cherished traditional recipes.

The most traditional Christmas food lists include the following:

A roasted goose or turkey: this dish is the pillar of all diner tables, be it for Thanksgiving or Christmas day. Geese were the tradition for different reasons. In time and with families coming together with friends to celebrate, a bigger turkey seemed reasonable to feed the hungry mouths.

The stuffing: though most people cooked inside the turkey as the name suggest, others prefer to cook it on its own because that way the turkey won’t dry out too much. So if you are looking for a way to keep your turkey moist and crispy t the same time, try this method, keep the stuffing out.

Gingerbread houses or cookies: was the connection between the gingerbread houses and Christmas a result of the Grimm brothers’ Hansel and Gretel or was it an older dated link? Well, not really a life or death matter! Nevertheless, this holiday cannot pass by without families coming together to decorate their gingerbread houses or cook some cookies. Sweets are the pillars of all celebrations.

Eggnogs: not really one of my favorites, but it seems to be an essential addition to the table, especially for breakfast. Making this shake doesn’t take long, so make it home and enjoy every step of the way. Serve cups to your children full of love.

Side dishes: where to begin? Vegetables are obviously the choice but don’t worry if you hate one type you have hundreds in line. Roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, cauliflower cheese, casseroles, and a lot of other dishes are possible. Go nuts and surprise the family!

More traditional Christmas foods can also be listed, but probably you know these already. What you would be really interested in knowing, however, is the most fabulous food for the occasion from around the world!

A world list of Christmas food dishes:

We might all love the tree, the light, and the warmth we feel around the dinner table, but certainly, we love different foods. Perhaps, this year, we can all add changes to our normal menu and bring some exotic flavors and recipes from around the world.

The following is a list of Christmas food dishes from different countries for you to choose from. Don’t be afraid of trying something new, you might actually fall in love with it!

China and Japan might have small Christian populations, but both countries have come up with their own holiday traditions. In China, offering apples to friends and family has become a popular tradition. Apples are a way to wish the recipient good health, wellbeing, and peace. If you are thinking about gifting something to a friend, consider apples, after all, one apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Japanese people chose to celebrate with western food! KFC fried chicken is the meal to sit together for on Christmas Eve. The good thing about it is that no one will have to get busy cooking, instead order the meal and enjoy the time with your family.

Yule log or bûche de Noël is a French dessert that originates in pagan traditions. Made of cocoa powder, vanilla extract, heavy cream, eggs, and sugar, bûche de Noël is definitely the sweetest dessert to try.

Smalahove is the Norwegian dish for Christmas dinner. It is a salted and dried head of sheep. Vegetables and potatoes are of course the side dish.

Selyodka Pod Shuboy which literally translates to “herring under a fur coat” is the Russian way of celebrating. It is an extravagant dish made up of diced pickled herring and covered with potatoes, carrots, onions, beetroots, and mayonnaise.

If you like hot chocolate, as the cold gets worse and snowfall begins, then you might want to reconsider your hot chocolate recipe. Peru has nailed a recipe for the holiday season. Hot chocolate is made up of condensed milk, chocolate, and spices such as cinnamon, chili powder, and nutmeg. Give it try; you might like the extra kick the spices offer!

The bottom line, each country has its own tradition for the holiday season. With New Year around the corner just after Christmas day, you might want to consider cooking some different dishes with your family. Coming together, sharing food, exploring traditions, and cherishing memories are, after all, what the season is about.

Go nuts, plan delicious plates with love and affection, and Merry Christmas everyone!