I think I've hinted at this before, but my family loves traditions. We have all sorts of traditions for all sorts of occasions, and these celebratory guidelines have sprinkled my memories with happiness throughout my life. My two very favorite traditions involve birthdays and Christmas.
Growing up, birthday mornings always began with a 5:30am wake-up call. The wake-up call consisted of the non-birthday gals and guys singing a giggle-filled round of Happy Birthday to the birthday person and offering him/her a small gift (e.g., for my 15th birthday I received the Spirit album by Jewel... my hands are small I know...) and a favorite pastry garnished with one candle. I looked forward to this nugget of celebration more than I looked forward to any other aspect of my birthday. Something about being woken up with a song and glimpsing a glowing birthday candle through sleepy eyes really tugs at the heart. My birthday pastry choices matured through the years as I did, with my earlier birthdays being welcomed in with a piece of Swedish Flop Cake, my middle years defined by vanilla long john donuts, and my young adult birthdays frequented by puffy popovers filled with butter and strawberry jam.
Although birthday morning traditions have shifted a bit since becoming an adult and fleeing the nest, Christmas morning traditions look much like they did 30 years ago. My mom is usually one of the first to rise but leisurely lingers with a book in hand and tea on her nightstand until the rest of the family is up and at the house. My step dad is next and begins the day much like my mom does, although he might squeeze in a quick run if he's up for it. I'm typically the next one up and make just enough noise to rouse Dan from his slumber. Then, my brother arrives, gifts in-hand. Once we're all awake and gathered, we pop a batch of cinnamon rolls into the oven (note: they've been meticulously shaped into a Christmas tree and dotted with ornaments cherries). Then, we settle into the living room and one-by-one, we open our stockings. My mom has always taken exceptional care in picking out the most perfect trinkets, knickknacks, and treats for each of us, so our stockings tend to be a treasure trove of thoughtfulness and love.
With one of my very favorite traditions centering around stockings, I figured it was about time I put together a stocking stuffer guide to share with you. Although this is a round-up of vegan-friendly gifts, I tried to pick healthy treats and goodies that everyone can appreciate. Without further ado, here it is...
1. JJ's Sweets Cocomels | These sweet, chewy caramels are made from coconut milk. I've spent hours mulling over which of the four flavors -- original, vanilla, sea salt, espresso -- is my favorite, but it feels wrong to pick a favorite when each of them is so. darn. delectable. Hypothetically, if I were forced to choose, I'd probably go with Sea Salt. Something about that savory-sweet combo gets me good. Oh yes, and be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post because JJ's Sweets is generously giving away all four flavors to one lucky reader!
2. Organic Burst Powders | If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed that I mention Organic Burst nearly every time I post a photo of a smoothie. That's because I'm obsessed with their superfood powders, especially Chlorella, Spirulina, Baobab, Maca, and Wheatgrass. They are high-quality and offer a nutritional boost to anything from smoothies to baked goods.
3. Oh She Glows Tea Shoppe | Angela Liddon of the amazing blog, Oh She Glows, has created a line-up of flavor-packed, certified organic teas. I have yet to try them, but I have my heart set on a few (mom: hint, hint).
4. Chickpea Magazine | Chickpea is a quarterly magazine that showcases a collection of favorite vegan things (e.g., stories, people, recipes, etc.) from around the globe. It's ad-free and contains 100% vegan content while embracing the plant-based choices of each and every person. Plus, the design is swanky and chic. Love.
5. Au Naturale Lip Gloss | These vegan, gmo-free, bpa-free, and dye/color-additive free lip glosses boast vivid hues and a silky-smooth texture. As a lip gloss lover, it's nice to know that what I'm putting on my lips is free from harsh chemicals and cruelty.
6. Date Lady Caramel Sauce | This plant-based caramel sauce is made with just three ingredients: dates, natural caramel flavor, and sea salt. Eat it right off the spoon or drizzle it on coconut ice cream. Yum.
7. GlassDharma Straws | These glass straws are free from chemicals, environmentally-friendly, and have a lifetime warranty. They come in different lengths and thicknesses to suite a variety of juice- and smoothie-drinking needs.
8. Young Living Essential Oils | My mother-in-law introduced me to Young Living's products over a year ago, and I've been using the Peppermint oil and Lavender oil on a daily basis ever since. I dab the lavender oil on my temples and nose at night to relax, and I rub the peppermint oil between my palms each morning and inhale the minty freshness to perk up my energy. All of their oils are fantastic, but these are my two favorites.
9. Chocolita Raw Chocolate | Rich, raw-vegan chocolate bars that come in a wide array of enticing flavors. I've got my eyes set on the Blueberry Lotus Raw White, Nib Chocolate Chip Raw White, Cherry Almond Raw Chocolate, and Dark & Sweet Raw Chocolate. If you can't make up your mind, you can always go with the variety pack.
10. OCHO Coconut Bar | To me, this looks and tastes like a vegan version of a Mounds bar, and that makes me happy. Dark chocolate nestles a creamy coconut filling within its rich embrace. Make. it. stop.
JJ's Sweets Cocomels Giveaway
One winner will receive the four flagship flavors (i.e., Original, Vanilla, Sea Salt, and Espresso) of JJ's Sweets' Cocomels. For a chance to win, simply enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below and comment on this post between December 8th and December 19th. Please note: this giveaway is open to US residents only.
Not much of a tradition. but we've started watching National Lampoons ever Xmas. Still funny!
a Christmas Eve party for family and friends during which Santa makes a preview appearance
Watching the Polar Express with my family, making hot chocolate and baking cookies with my daughter is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. A close second is decorating the tree however the kids want..
It's so nice to know those silly little traditions are cherished so much and that you haven't tired of them. I am happy to have a list of new items I can fill our stockings. Thanks for sharing this. Love, Mom
I love singing around the piano while my mom plays, sometimes Xmas songs, sometimes oldies or musicals.
My favorite tradition is baking pies with my mom and sister every year. We always have so much fun.
My mom and I watch "It's A Wonderful Life" together every year. :)
My favorite Christmas tradition is baking Christmas cookies and making fudge to send to relatives with my mom.
My whole family watches Elf together! Even now that I'm in college it's wonderful to have that tradition that started the year it came out! Very nostalgic! :) Thanks for the great giveaway I've been dying to try these!
My favourite tradition has to be either decorating the tree or cooking all the festive food! This year I'm going to try gluten free/vegan mince pies!
potato latkes~
Hot chocolate!
Cookie baking is a tradition in our family that goes back more than 50 years. I bake differently now that I'm plant-based, but I still enjoy the memories.
Watching our Christmas movies and animation together with the children while we make cookies, cakes and quick bread makes for a perfect holiday!
My mom either buys or makes a cake every year and we sing happy birthday to Jesus before opening our gifts on Christmas morning :)
My favorite holiday traditions are baking, decorating, and watching all of my favorite Christmas movies. Happy Holidays!
My family loves to bake and decorate a variety of Christmas cookies to give to our elderly neighbors!
My absolute favorite Christmas tradition is making gingerbread houses with my sister. It's an entire day of baking and building and enough sweets to make ya feel a little queasy, but it's so much fun. And they usually collapse before the night is over :)
I love going to Christmas eve service.
Fave tradition is watching all the holiday movies on tv. I should probably watch them on dvd but there's something about changing the channel and seeing that movie. It's a wonderful life and the charlie brown christmas... love them all!
My favorite holiday tradition is to spend quality time with my family, stock up a whole lot of skin care goodies and share them with my friends and family! :)
I love everything Christmas related....but mostly just spending time with family. I also love decorating sugar cookies! So fun!
Listening to Christmas songs while driving!
My favorite tradition is having all our friends come together to share their own unique traditions with us.
Baking cookies (i bake vegan cookies now) Stuffing stockings! tree decorating. Eggnog (vegan for me) :3
Watching movies snuggled by the fire. So many things on your list I've wanted to try, too!
opening presents on xmas eve!
I love decorating the Christmas tree!
I celebrate Chanukah with my family. Instead of a stocking full of gifts we space out our moments of sharing meaningful words and thoughtful presents over eight nights. Thanks for the great holiday gift ideas.
Wishing Everyone Happy & Healthy Holidays!
Decorating sugar cookies, listening to Christmas music and opening one present on Christmas Eve! :)
Watching Elf and making goodies with my sister.
Noche buena! We go to mass then go home to eat and play games, wait for midnight to open presents
Stopping to show the people you love how much you care.
Celebrating Hanukkah with the family. Matzo ball soup. latkes, lighting the menorah, playing dreidel and exchanging gifts!
Why baking vegan treats of course! And then sharing them with family :)
Baking cookies with nieces and nephews, decorating Christmas tree and making a big breakfast Christmas morning( tofu quiche, cinnamon rolls, fresh juice, tofu scramble kids, veggie bacon, mixed fruit, hot chocolate with eggnog). Thanks
I love seeing the Santa at Macy's in NYC with my family.
Eating delicious food together as a family! :)
My family watches "The Santa Clause" every Christmas eve, without fail. We all refuse to watch any of the sequels because we would hate for the Tim Allen original to ever be ruined! It never gets old, year after year, and I know pretty much every line.
Our stockings always have some of the best gifts. I also try to watch the Polar Express every year on christmas eve
I love driving around listening to Christmas music and looking at lights with my family
I love hanging out by the fire at my parent's place and drinking eggnog with my mom! Love our cozy catch-ups.
Vegan Eggnog!
Since we got married three years ago, my husband and I have to split our holiday time between our families, and we have a ton of nieces and nephews so it has become less and less about us -- which is fine by me! Our new tradition is to celebrate Christmas just the two of us once the all the family time is over. It's a fun way for us to extend the holiday a bit and a always feels much more intimate and special.
A favorite Christmas tradition is getting a big cup of hot chocolate and a candy cane and driving around town and looking at everyones decorations.
-- tip, you should absolutely put a few drops of lavender oil in your mascara bottle. This will thicken and lengthen your lashes incredibly. :)
We watch The Grinch that Stole Christmas and eat cinnamon rolls in the morning after opening our stockings.
I love Christmas dinner. Family all around one big table, eating delicious food, and laughing. It's the best thing
My favorite tradition is one that just started accidentally. My now fiance, then bf, bought me a pretty ornament for the tree the first year we were dating. The next year, we moved and decided we needed a new one for the new house. And then each year, we have gotten an ornament for the tree to signify something from that year. This year, it's our engagement! :)
My family takes themed silly photos each year for Christmas. So much fun and we're creating quite the collection. It will make an awesome collage some day!
Ooh, these look great! My favorite holiday tradition is simply prioritizing family time and enjoying their company! :)
Holiday baking is my favorite. Having the house decorated with pretty lights is nice too
We have a tradition of putting up the tree on my birthday, December 16th. Makes for a great day for me. Thanks for the giveaway!
enjoying the old cartoons with my kids
Driving through the neighborhood and looking at all the houses decorated with lights.
Baking cookies and other delicious treats with my sister. :)
Spending time with family.
My fave tradition for Xmas is getting all my decorations out & decorating the house & tree!
A few years ago, we started wearing cozy PJs for our casual Christmas Eve dinner. This year, since no one really needs "stuff" and my sister and I have moved out, we're spending a sunny vacation together as a family. It's never too late to start a new tradition.
When we were younger, my mother used to make sour cream coffee cake for breakfast on Christmas morning. I hadn't thought of that in a long time...Maybe it's time to veganize that recipe:)
Parties!
stockings are by far my favorite tradition. Everyone in my family gets one:)
Once we watch ELF, that means Christmas has officially began! We also have to watch the classic Rudolph, Charlie Brown, Pokey Little Puppy Christmas....and I'm 19! I BEG for these traditions! They're so commercial, but they're so much fun and nostalgic.
family vacations =)
We drive around on Christmas Eve to look at all the lights. Christmas music on the radio, hot chocolate, cookies, and just all being together. Love it.
My favourite Christmas traditions...there are so many!
The ones that spring immediately to mind are a magical mass in church on Christmas Eve, followed by a Christmas movie at night with a (early nut roast), stuffing and cranberry sauce sandwich! <3
i like to make cards. some years, like this year, i don't get inspired until pretty late! i plan on making them this weekend and sending em out monday X) love cocomels btw...
Annual video game competition with my brother, (I always let him win ;) )!!
My favorite tradition is chopping down the Christmas tree with my dad, I'll never be too old for this one!
My favorite is making Christmas cookies and Christmas crafts.
Every year before Christmas my daughters gather the toys, stuffed animals and games they no longer play with and we take them along to the charity we donate to each year. This has become an important tradition for us, for one because we are living below poverty level as well, and have done without for many years-without a home, work, joy. We also clear out the pantry and donate food to our small town's food bank. Their help fed my family and I for many years. We try to help others when we can, and my eldest daughter (my little one is 3 and does not understand donating toys yet) learns about helping others and that even though she always wants more toys, realizes (I hope!) that she has more than many other children.
Christmas crackers are the very best tradition in my family!
Family cookie baking parties.