If you want to ensure that you will find Christmas in your home for the next year, decorate gingerbread houses and sugar cookies with a toddler. 

I'm sure I will be finding myself in a battle of "darn it, here's another red sprinkle" and "awe, here's another little sprinkle, how sweet!" over the coming months. It really was fun! Not even joking, it's worth every squished junior mint and peppermint frosting smear.

I moved the dining table out of the kitchen, cleaned the floor and that was our mess-proof canvas. I laid out muffin tins of treats and we got to work. Each time Aria got a green gummy dot or m&m to successfully stick to the frosting, there was a little celebration, clapping and smiling and swaying her hands around, so so proud of herself. It just melted my heart.

The gingerbread house may not make it, Seth and I keep finding ourselves picking little candy treats to eat off of it. But the cookies went into jars and cute boxes for friends and family, tied with pretty ribbon. 

What Christmas traditions are you starting or take part in each year with your kids?