{Christmas morning at home // Just the three of us}

 Christmas morning in our home is something I look forward to all year. While the season brings with it a flurry of festive events, bustling shopping trips, and the joy of reconnecting with friends and extended family, there’s something incredibly special about the quiet simplicity of Christmas morning with just the three of us—Nate, Mason, and me.

 It’s just us, in our pajamas, coffee in hand, and the comforting glow of the tree lighting up the living room. The house is calm, filled only with wrapping paper rustling as the day begins. The highlight, of course, is watching Mason open his gifts and his stocking. That’s the moment I truly treasure. His excitement is contagious, but what melts my heart every single year is how deeply appreciative he is. He never tears through his presents in a frenzy. He opens each one slowly, with genuine joy and gratitude, and often pauses to say thank you or to give us a hug. It’s a reminder of the kind and thoughtful boy he’s growing up to be.

Mason has never been one to ask for much. That’s part of what makes Christmas shopping for him so special. We get to be creative, thoughtful, and a little sneaky—finding gifts that will truly surprise and delight him. It becomes less about checking things off a list and more about imagining the look on his face when he discovers something he wasn’t expecting.

There’s something beautiful about the simplicity of it all. Just the three of us (plus the FURHalls), celebrating in our own little bubble. No big production, no need for perfection—just love, warmth, and gratitude. It’s in those quiet, cozy moments that I find the real magic of the holiday season.

So, while the world outside may be swirling with excitement and noise, Christmas morning at our house is something different. It’s slower. Sweeter. Sacred. And it’s one of the traditions I cherish most of all.