I was one of those families and I was able to buy xmas gifts for my son and get food and pay some bills to catch up. I felt so special and cried when my cousin told me I had won. I had never won anything before and I am so grateful to you and this community for all the love and help.

"we go from youngest to oldest" Hutch siting in the chair like "It's been 84 years...."

I just adopted my baby girl today. I have not decided on how I will handle Santa and gifts.I love to hear what other families do it.

We do the "something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read" present thing. Thus four presents per kid.

Night under the tree”. The night before Christmas Eve we pull mattresses in the living room, leave the tree lights on all night, we watch Christmas movies eat pizza and candy. Fall asleep whenever and we have a wonderful quiet evening at home with our children

This will be my first year spending Thanksgiving and Christmas alone. My two children are grown and have moved away from the area. I decided rather than be sad and emotional on those two special holidays, I'll start new traditions for myself. For Thanksgiving if I can afford it I plan on buying a small turkey breast and the usual fixings. I just won't buy as much as I used to. I'll still have leftovers which will be great. And let's not forget watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade if they have it this year. For Christmas🎄 I'll make a small meal. When I'm done eating my Christmas dinner I plan on making hot cocoa and watching Christmas movies all day. That'll be my new tradition. I want to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas. God bless everyone. I hope you and your family remain safe and sound.

Thank you for not forgetting Thanksgiving! I really don't like how it's just getting skipped over more and more every year. It's my favorite holiday because you just get to spend time with your family and friends without there having to be an exchange of gifts. It's just about love and gratefulness. We shouldn't lose that ESPECIALLY if you're still surviving this 2020 because many didn't make it. 💙

We're doing a reverse advent calendar this year. So each day we're going to put an item of food or cleaning supplies into a box and then on Christmas Eve take it all to our local food bank ☺

I love how intentional you are when wording this video, my kiddos were around and could enjoy the video with me ☺️

I just realized that u have 4 girls and 4 boys after pausing and a good staring at ur cute family photo. U r so blessed!

My favorite tradition has always been Christmas breakfast. My dad always got up early to cook a big breakfast (waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, everything!). When you wake up you can open your stocking but we always waited for presents after we ate breakfast together as a family.

That really amazes me how someone so young (talking about you Jordan! 🥰) can have so much incredible life knowledge! I cannot thank you enough for changing my life one video at a time!

The whole family draws a name on the Labor Day. Then everyone hand makes a gift for that person. Several of us are very crafty/clearance shoppers and willing to help out.

What wonderful traditions and ideas! Thank you for being so real and sharing these things. I look up to you as a wife and mom, and appreciate your authenticity and the fact that your focus isn’t on giving your children ALL the things, but teaching them the most important things.

Love the matching PJ's! I grew up poor and my parents made a tradition of our stockings being filled with new underwear and socks and practical things we needed for the year and then 1 or 2 "traditional presents". I'm 27 now and married and this is something I do with my husband and with my parents and sister still, even though I live in another state.All these years later its a much loved and practical Christmas joy we share.

This was so fun! Idk why I was so emotional during this video but I just felt everything you mentioned was so heartfelt! I loved it! Thanks for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️

I'm glad you made it a point to make sure Santa doesn't give the biggest gift. Kids of less well off families (financially) see other kids get these elaborate gifts and start wondering why. And they ask things like 'was I not good enough.'

The Christmas light drive is a tradition my parents have done with me since I was little. Something I’ll do when I have my own.

Love some of these ideas, we have been doing the hotel idea of a few years and it is a HUGE hit! We always buy our kids a new book and a new boardgame, so when we go to the hotel for our little mini getaway they have a book to read and a game to play as a family vs watching the hotel tvs. We actually go ON Christmas day because our large family gatherings are on separate days and we find if we stay home on Christmas day we tend to start doing everyday stuff like chores around the house or even working on our farm. This getaway helps us ,as parents, stay focused on the kids and time together because it removes us from our everyday routine. Then the day after Christmas we take our time coming home and make special stops at stores or experiences on the way. That 48 hours away has become very special and precious to us!

What great traditions! We keep everything pretty simple, but have learned that it's usually the most simple/cheapest traditions that our kids remember! One of my very favorite traditions is to get out all of our Christmas books on the first Sunday of Advent while we are putting our tree up. We have collected so many Christmas books over the years so we bring in the big box and the kids will spend hours and hours throughout the entire Christmas season visiting some of their favorites! I usually sneak a new one or two in there every year as well.

We make the "after the holidays vacation " is one of their Christmas gifts. They look forward to it every year.

Can you do more parenting videos... any top 10 rules in your house, how you implement consequences, how to make every child feel extra special, how to give all of them attention etc.

Totally agree that Santa does not bring the biggest present. I like your comment that families should not be checking what everyone else does, but instead focus on making special memories within their own home.

I love your positive energy and overview on topics😍 Many Blessing to you and your beautiful family.🤗

You should do a video on tips and tricks with how to MOVE

We wrap Christmas books and put them under the tree and the kids get to pick one open and we read it that night. Another tradition is we string popcorn every year for our tree. Also we drive around looking at Christmas lights and listening to Christmas music. The last thing I can remember we do every year is I have 4 kids (9,6,2,1) I take the oldest two to dollar tree and let them pick out gifts for their siblings. They absolutely love being able to get them something and it lets them participate in the gift giving. For the others in the family they get creative and make a craft to give

Beautiful Christmas tradition. So special too n meaningful. Bless your beautiful family ❤️

This year is the first everything for my baby. So we definitely wants to start our own tradition.

When my kids were little, on Christmas Eve we would go to Mass and when we came home they got to put on new PJ's. Then we would put candles on a cake and sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus. They are all grown up now and they still remember that.

I only have one child, and he's 2, but it's been exciting having him put the joy back in the holidays for us. We always drive around and look at lights throughout the season. We always have baked goods we make over the season. On Christmas Eve, we open a present that has pajamas and a book, or coloring book, movie, something like that.

I’m so glad you give Thanksgiving it’s due! So many Christmas decorations up already but I’m standing firm!

Thank you so much for sharing your holiday traditions!

Thank you so much for sharing your traditions. They were super sweet.

I love that is all about family and the true meaning of Christmas!!

very sweet traditions jordan! i love that you are so open about your family life :D

Love this video! never thought that a video about christmas traditions could be such an inspiration🥰

We never put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, it's usually the Sunday after.

I'm so happy to hear that I am not alone in thinking that Thanksgiving gets forgotten! Christmas isn't even really discussed in our house until after Thanksgiving dinner. Lol

2020 Christmas decorating early. normaly I'm like you not until after Thanksgiving, but this year I'm done.

Jordan, cant imagine my life without You and your magical videos. We had a war in our country and I had no chance to enjoy ur recent videos. But all is okay now and I watch u, again and again, every day and get that magical positive energy from u and ur lovely fam. Thanksgiving day?! JORDAN, THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE THERE. Thanks to GOD that I know you. Love u. Stay blessed.

Cant wait for Christmas. We love those rakuten cash back. Started buying stuff with rakuten and saved me a lot of money. AMAZING!!!!

Love these sweet traditions. Especially how you incorporate the spirit of giving ❤️

This video was very helpful and gave me all the Christmas feel goods. Thank you for putting time into making these helpful videos. If you ever question if what you do here really makes a difference in this world.... it really does. I am so thankful you add light to this world.

This was perfect! Just what I needed! Very practical and down to earth, yet so so fun! Im going to use some of these traditions. So special! You're amazing!

I love these traditions! This will be our first year bringing out the elf on the shelf! The plan is to also keep it simple!

We like to have a Jesus meal on Christmas eve. Salmon, figs, goat cheese, unleavened bread, and grape juice. We turn out the lights and eat by candle light.

Awesome ideas! Would love to see another video like the one you did previously wrapping gifts and discussing what you got your children!

I have an end of holiday tradition, I take Christmas down on December 26. All packed up and put away. My son's birthday is the 27th, and I do everything I can to keep them separate, not his fault we didn't plan better

LOVE THIS! Thanks for sharing! Thank you for the Holiday Inspiration!

Thank you so much for sharing your traditions and your home videos! Warms my heart 🤗 happy holidays! Xo

We do a Christmas light scavenger hunt. I make a list of what to find. We go eat dinner together early, and then when it gets dark off we go driving everywhere. We have cookies and hot cocoa while driving. My son is 14 and this is his favorite thing ever. He gets to invite up to 3 friends to go with us. Whoever finishes their list first get a little prize.

I love these. You are always just such a breath of fresh air!

Thanks for sharing. Very great traditions.

Love your traditions! I grew up and have a small family and I sort of watch your channel to see what it would be like to live in a big family. Thank you for sharing and making the season bright.

I absolutely love the gratitude tree idea!!

My family growing up decorated for Christmas a little more each Sunday of Advent. Gave us something to look forward to every week and lots of happy memories :)

Loooove these Chritmas Traditionns!

Thanks for sharing your traditions great ideas!

Jordan, thank you so much for sharing!! This is exactly what I needed! Our oldest is almost 5, and his birthday is the day after Christmas, and we have spent every Christmas (3-4 days!) with my mother-in-law Because it’s kind of far away.This year we will stay home due to COVID and I am taking it as an opportunity to MAKE our own traditions, finally!! And we are also very experience-oriented and less focused on gifts so it’s good to see that we’re not the oddballs 💜

I’m watching this in February but that gratitude tree is genius. Definitely making the wheels turn in my head for later in the year for my family

Yes! We don't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Jordan - I loved hearing about your family holiday traditions.

Great ideas!! Thanks so much Jordan

Yes I absolutely agree it’s the traditions that we remember, not the gifts!!

This video made me so happy! I looooove you’re traditions 🎄😀

Love your family and your traditions

Love this... sooo many great ideas!!!

Your tricks changed my life ... i love you ❤

I actually saw something on Facebook I think saying to not make the biggest gift from Santa cuz then other kids that may not be as fortunate will think santa doesnt love them as much and theyre not good enough, while i think that should be up to each family individually i actually kinda love it cuz parents deserve the heartfelt pride seeing their kids happy with their important present and knowing their parents did that for them. That being said, what works for one family shouldnt dictate or sway what another family does. ☺❤

I’ve started a new Christmas tradition this year. There is a assisted living facility in my town that I did see pts in when I worked at home health. It was such a sad place. I don’t think all the pts even have families near by. I’m making all them a shoe box package and wrapping it up so each resident will at least have something to open. They currently have 29 residents. I encourage everyone to search out the elderly and do something for them.

wonderful traditions!!

Thank you I thought I was the only one who didn’t let Santa get credit for the most expensive gifts!

Hello Jordan ♥️ you make my weekends feel very special with your uploads. I love this video so much, and I love how realistic you are. I really wish you make a video on the best books that impacted your life.

Yes, we CAN'T forget about Thanksgiving. Totally agree. I love the idea of the Thankful Tree. That might be something we incorporate this year. Maybe at Thanksgiving handing them out, and putting them on my Father-in-law's tree.

Seriously Jordan, I signed up with Rakuten the moment you introduced it in one of your videos when i first "found you" and I've been getting random checks in the mail and absolutely love it! Thank you. And also, thank you so much to you and your wonderful family for caring so much and giving back to your community. ;) Merry Christmas!!

Love the talent show idea! We do many of the things you do for the holidays. Last year my daughter-in-law took a bunch of cheap gifts ( like stocking stuffers) and wrapped them up in a huge ball of Saran wrap...then each person rolls two dice for a turn to unwrap the Saran ball...if you get a double then its your turn to unwrap the ball meanwhile the person next to you is rolling the dice for a turn and takes the ball from you (so you might have to wait until your next turn until you get a prize!) Her family is very competitive and I laughed so hard as they tried to get a turn to unwrap the ball to get a prize! 😂 Believe me they don't care what the prize was they just liked to compete to win! We do this when the whole family gets together!

#GiveThanks: I am grateful that people like you share things you have learned with the rest of us. ♥️

Hi Jordan! Love your ideas and I will definitely use some of these hacks for my family ♥️

Please vlog your Christmas. I would totally love that. I love you so much Jordan!

I really enjoy your Chanel, all the way from South Africa. Inspiring, thank you. ♥️

cool to hear ur traditions things u do!! fun cool like this video

These holiday traditions are awesome! 🙌

I love your traditions! They are so much fun! :)

Thank you for sharing your holidays with us. Our celebrations with extended family have always been flexible as we are a retired Air Force family who spent 21 years far away from our families. We have added and dropped some traditions according to where we were living at the time. A few have stuck that our *children* who are all in young adulthood and are still at home in college or newly graduated from college, still enjoy. We start the Christmas season the day after Thanksgiving as our youngest daughter has become our tree decorator, decorates our family tree with a different theme each year. Our Twins, (boy and girl, now 20 years old) started decorating the tree 10 years ago. Then around Dec 4th, 5th, or 6th, we celebrated St. Nicholas Day when all our kids and my husband set a boot outside their bedroom doors to be filled with candy and small gifts. The exact day of the celebration depends upon the country, however, for me, it's whichever night I can remember, lol. The candy started out as a German chocolate Santa and chocolate balls, but now is each person's favorite candy. The small gifts are usually socks tailored to each person's taste, and other small items. Our Twins are in our church's handbell choir and our daughter plays the violin in our church's strings ensemble, so we are treated to community performances in our town's outdoor park and at a local nursing home as well as in our own church services. We attend Christmas Eve Lovefeast Services at one of our local Moravian churches, usually with many of our Moravian friends. We start Christmas morning with a Birthday cake for Jesus. This tradition was started with our oldest daughter who is now 26. We gather, (later and later each year as the kids have grown, lol) sing Happy Birthday, the kids blow out the candles, and we have cake along with our French toast for breakfast. Our kids also have time to go out to community holiday light festivals with our church's teen group and their college and career Sunday School class. When our kids were younger we did service projects such as pack goodie bags to mail downrange to deployed troops and drive around our bases passing our cookies and candy bags to troops on duty on Christmas Day. Our activities now focus on donations to an alternative high school program that helps kids complete their high school education. Thank you, Jordan, for asking us to share our traditions. This has been a fun trip down memory lane for me.

Love the ideas Jordan! Experiences for the win! I love your idea for experience advent calendar, thank you for that one especially. 😁

Yes! No Christmas until after Thanksgiving! Thank you! Even my mother has oddly jumped on the Christmas after Halloween bandwagon.

Totally late to the party but just saw your video about Netflix... wanted to say thank you! Thank you for standing up and shining a light on something SO important! And not just Netflix but the choices we make for our home and family... such an important point and reminder! Thank you for your courage and willingness to be vulnerable. I’m sure it wasn’t an easy move but I know God will use it in mighty ways.💗

Thank you for sharing :)

Thank you for the shout out to Thanksgiving! I feel it is such an important holiday that gets skipped over.

I signed up for Rakuten using your link last holiday season and it’s been great! Thank you!

I love our Christmas traditions!

Thank you for the awesome tips💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

I would be the happiest person ever if they vlogged and posted their Christmas this year on youtube, i feel like it would be so cute and good memories for them to watch as they grow up.

I just love your family so much ! ! 😍😍😍

Idea for the elves: give little coloring sheets or stickers every couple days as a fun surprise. Nothing crazy but super fun!

Great family tradition ❤️🎄🎄🎄

We have a camp out around the Christmas Tree the night we put up the tree. Free Family Fun!

Amazing ideas! I LOVE your family xoxoxoxo

Coming out of lockdown in South Australia- always lovely to watch a video by one of my favourite KZfaqrs 💋 love you lovely lady and hope you and your family have a fantastic Christmas and all the best for 2021 😘

3 gifts here also, from the beginning. 'and Jesus grew in wisom, stature, and favor with both God and man.' We buy gifts to foster these three areas of growth we would like to see in the next year. We gift the same way at birthdays.

When we drive around to look at Christmas lights we have a tradition of doing a Christmas light scavenger hunt. It’s a blast.