Weddingbee Blog

Growing up Catholic in a very Jewish neighborhood was kind of fun. I had my Confirmation as my neighbors were getting Bar Mitzvah’d, and I was able to learn about their traditions and they got to see mine. One of our family traditions was to put up Christmas lights every year on my dad’s birthday. And every year, my dad bought more and more strands of lights, so every year our house glowed a little more than the last. It was actually pretty funny being the only house on the block that had lights because we stood out like a sore thumb.

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I have grown to love Christmas lights and if I could put up lights like in NL Christmas Vacation (above), I would!

Over the last 2 holiday seasons, poor Mr. Na-na-nachos learned just how deep my obsession with lights during the holidays runs. He did tell me that he loved the lights at my parents’ house every year growing up which gave me the warm fuzzies inside (and the green light to go nuts, although I don’t think that was his goal, hee hee). My tradition that I started when I moved out on my own was to put up the Christmas lights the day after Thanksgiving, and take them down on New Year’s Day. Mr. Nachos helped put them up last year, and was there when I bought us 4 more boxes of lights right after Christmas, just like my dad always did. He dreaded putting them up again this year, but alas, he can’t escape now and my tradition has become our tradition. So, we broke out the tape and Mr. Nachos and I successfully made it look like Santa threw up all over our apartment…

That’s Mr. N in the front room with the puppies all curled up enjoying the bright fruits of our labor. Can’t you see the proud smile on his face?

The tree in the middle room

The office

The fireplace with stockings for both of us and our 2 Nacho puppies

… And what’s that hanging in the fireplace?

It’s creepy Santa! And I put little spotlights in there to light him up!

A brighter picture to see the details

The middle room windows got lights, too!

Little decorations in the kitchen

The kitchen window

The swirly tree on the back deck

The view from the hallway

Needless to say, we were busy! I’m so happy with the way everything turned out and although he hates to go around and turn off all of the lights before we go to bed, I think he likes the overall look of the place as much as I do! OK, maybe not that much, but hopefully close. I’m in love the fact that we are starting traditions like my family did and I can’t wait to share memories like the ones I have growing up, with our future family.

What’s an old (or new) holiday tradition you’ve started up with your FI?