{Christmas at the Halls: Beautiful Chaos and Cherished Traditions}

 Christmas at the Halls is always a whirlwind of fun, laughter, and joyful chaos—in the best way possible. As our family has grown, so has the celebration. With every new face around the tree, there’s more magic in the air… and let’s be honest, more wrapping paper covering the floor. But that’s what makes it so special. It’s not just about the gifts or the decorations—it’s about the people, the moments, and the memories that get made right in the middle of the mess.

The littles bring a kind of joy that’s hard to describe. Their wide-eyed wonder at the lights, the excitement of unwrapping gifts, and the way they believe with their whole hearts—it’s the purest form of Christmas magic. On the other side of the spectrum, the elders in our family serve as gentle reminders to slow down, be present, and truly soak it all in. They remind us that the best gifts can’t be wrapped and that time spent together is what really matters.

Over the years, we’ve created a handful of traditions that have stuck—and some that probably only make sense to our wild bunch. But those quirky little customs are what make Christmas with the Halls feel like ours. Here are a few of my favorites:

🎀 The Famous “Bow Picture”
This tradition is so old, none of us can quite remember how it started. After gifts are opened, everyone grabs a discarded bow from the pile of torn wrapping paper and sticks it on their head. Then we huddle together and take the annual “bow picture.” It’s silly, it’s chaotic, and it’s pure Hall-family gold.

❄️ Snowball Fights—Texas Style
Living in Texas means snow is a rare sight, but that doesn’t stop us. We head to the local snowcone stand, stock up on snowballs of shaved ice, and stage a full-blown snowball fight. Of course, with all these Hall boys involved, it gets very competitive. It’s one of those moments where everyone—kids and grown-ups alike—lets loose and just has fun.

🎉 Silly String Showdowns
This has somehow become a tradition at all major holidays in our house. Silly string everywhere. Kids chasing each other. Adults ducking for cover. It’s loud, messy, and absolutely perfect.

🎁 The Saran Wrap Ball Game
If you’ve never played this, you have to try it. We wrap up small prizes, candy, and even dollar bills in layers and layers of plastic wrap, then take turns unwrapping while the person next to us tries to roll doubles with dice. It’s frantic, hilarious, and always a hit.

🧀 Festive Foods & Charcuterie Boards

One of my personal favorite parts of the holiday is getting creative in the kitchen. This year, I made a Rudolph cheeseball (complete with pretzel antlers and a cherry nose) and a charcuterie board with a grape Christmas tree. Putting love and thought into these festive treats adds an extra layer of joy to our celebrations—and they always get devoured in minutes!

🍪 Cookie Night Creations
A few days before Christmas, we have a special cookie night where we bake and decorate Christmas cookies together. The real fun is eating them on Christmas Day—seeing which ones survived and which ones look more like abstract art than actual snowmen.

🎊 Embracing the Wrapping Paper Chaos

We don’t rush to clean up the gift-opening mess. The floor stays covered in wrapping paper, ribbon, and boxes long after the last present is unwrapped. It’s a visual reminder of the joy and excitement of the morning—and honestly, there’s something beautiful about letting the moment breathe.

Traditions like these are my favorite part of Christmas. I love celebrating the old ones and making new ones as we go. My hope is that our kiddos will carry these memories with them and one day pass them on to their own families. There's something powerful about the continuity of tradition—about how something as small as a bow on your head or a homemade cheeseball can hold so much love and laughter.

Christmas 2023 was one for the books—full of fun, full of family, and full of heart. Happy Birthday, Jesus! Thank you for giving us the greatest reason to celebrate.