Sitting here in the glow of twinkling lights on the Christmas tree, I’m thinking of this magical season and all of the favorite holiday traditions that make it so special.
As a child, December seemed to crawl along, and it felt like Christmas would never come. As an adult, the month goes faster and faster each year, and it seems there’s never enough time to pack it all in.
I’m grateful for the holiday traditions we’ve created here at Ashley’s Pastries and for my family. There are activities we do every year, no matter what, because it just isn’t Christmas without them.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Gingerbread Houses. These confectionary creations are certainly a labor of love, but we look forward to making them every year. We love how each one is a little different, yet so full of detail, creativity and love. It brings us such joy knowing our gingerbread houses are a part of your holiday traditions, too. Many of you get one year after year for your holiday table and we love being a part of it. 
The Nutcracker Ballet. In recent years, I’ve started the tradition of taking my daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces and great nieces to an afternoon at the Nutcracker Ballet at the Schuster Center. We all take a few hours on a Sunday afternoon and come together in the busyness of this season. When the curtain goes up, the sound of the music and the twirl of the dancers just makes it feel like the holidays have arrived. It’s also nice to pause and just sit back and enjoy the show – a great way to slow down and savor this busy season.
Coffee Cake on Christmas morning. Christmas morning is a flurry of excitement, with wrapping paper flying as little ones tear into the gifts left behind by Santa. There’s often so many fun toys to put together and play with that no one wants to spend too much time in the kitchen. That’s where our coffee cakes come into play. Many of you have made it a tradition to order a coffee cake from Ashley’s Pastries, pick it up on Christmas Eve, and you know breakfast is taken care of on Christmas.
Meaningful moments. The best traditions can also be small, simple things. Our family loves making hot chocolate and loading up in the car to drive around and look at Christmas lights. We might wear Santa hats or go in our pajamas. We love the coziness in the warm car, singing along to Christmas music as we drive around town taking in all the displays. We also love watching Christmas movies together. It’s a simple way to spend a Saturday night – curled up on the couch, all the lights off except for the tree, making our way through the list of our favorite holiday movies.
We know Christmas is coming quickly, but we hope you find the time to experience those moments that are important to your family, and near and dear to your heart. We are grateful for all of you and look forward to helping you celebrate the season.