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You and your partner are now in the next chapter of your life and are celebrating your first Christmas together as newlyweds. Why not start some new holiday traditions? This will allow you to kick start the holiday season in great spirits and will also give you even more reason to cherish each other and your memories for years to come.

• Decorate your tree. Whether you prefer a faux tree or a real tree, dedicate a day to getting it set up. You can even have mini traditions within your tree decorating one. For example, you can purchase a new ornament for your tree each year with the year on it.
• Choose specific decorations to bring out each year. This is to commemorate your first year as husband and wife. Despite whatever theme you have the years after; these decorations will always have a special meaning to you.
• Start having Christmas parties at your place. This is another way to signify you are stepping into a different chapter in your life. This doesn’t have to be the main family gathering everyone goes to every year but it could a holiday party for you and your close friends. Not only will you be starting a tradition, you will also be creating lovely memories and strengthening your relationships with your friends.
• Cook Christmas treats with each other. These treats should only be made during the Christmas season so they remain extra special. It could a recipe you’ve whipped up together or it could be one that was passed down to the both of you by a dear family member.
• Make sure to spend some alone time with each other. Often times we tend to not realize just how much traveling we do for the holidays to see everyone we care about. Since this is your first holiday together as spouses, make sure to spend enough time with each other, even if that means taking a night off from social events to just some time in your home relaxing with Christmas movies.
• Volunteer together. Keep in the spirit of Christmas by volunteering to help those in need. It can be a shelter or even a food bank. When you volunteer, not only will you be able to spend time with each other, you will also be able to give to those who are not as fortunate.
• Spend Christmas morning together, alone. You may have to travel to family events the day of Christmas, but it doesn’t mean you can’t spend the morning alone with each other. This is a perfect time to exchange gifts with each other and bond. The night before, talk to each other about how you want to spend the morning. Do you want to open gifts by the tree on in bed? Will there be breakfast or will you just enjoy your holiday treats?

It’s exciting to celebrate Christmas as newlyweds! You should take full advantage of it and create some fun traditions you will continue to do for many years down the road.

You're reading this so we've established you love Christmas. Maybe you love it as much as you love ugly Christmas jumpers and shirts. Maybe you even have an entire collection of them waiting to worn. In fact, maybe you love them so much you want to host your own ugly Christmas jumper and shirt party. If this is the case for you, then what are you waiting for? Here’s all you need to know about how to host the best ugly Christmas jumper (or shirt) party.

• Create fun, eye-catching invitations. You want your invitations to be just as loud as your party. Be creative about it. You can use an ugly sweater print so people get the theme of the party. The invitations do not have to be expensive either. You can create your own on various printing websites or just create them yourself on your own computer. Be creative and don’t over think it!

• Or you can make an awesome invite online for all your family and friends. If everyone you know is into social media and you know they are bound to check your invite, why not try this method instead?

• Make some killer ugly Christmas jumper (or shirt) decorations and centrepieces. You want to grab everyones attention with your ugly Christmas jumper and shirt themed party so make sure to decorate accordingly. Use balls of yarn in various sizes places in glass jars or even make little ugly Christmas jumper and shirt candle holders. If you are stumped on what to do, get inspiration from sites such as Pinterest, which will sure get your creative juices flowing.

• Create fun and unique party favors for your guests. Give your guest something quirky so they will remember the night. Perhaps it’s an honorary ugly Christmas pin or maybe it’s a knitted bag filled with delicious candy. Add your own special touch by writing a personal note to everyone who came to your party and made it a success.

• Plan out a festive menu. You want it to be in the Christmas spirit so make sure your food represents the theme. Why not create your own drink like a “Santa's Festive Fizz” where you can make both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of it. As for food, you can bake gingerbread men and adorn them with cute ugly Christmas jumpers or shirts of their own. Check out Gingerbread Party Shirts for some inspiration. 

• Make sure to incorporate some fun games. Since all your guests will be arriving in ugly Christmas jumpers and shirts, why not create some friendly competition? You can have each person vote and participate in games such as the: Best Christmas Jumper, Best Christmas Shirt, Best Handmade Christmas Jumper, Best Handmade Christmas Shirt, Best Couple’s Christmas Jumper, Best Couples Christmas Shirt, the Ugliest Christmas Jumper, the Ugliest Christmas Shirt and of course a wooden spoon for the person who put the least effort in.

Like these Christmas shirt guys!

Remember there is no right or wrong way to plan a party. Do what you think will be awesome and just have fun. Even if everything doesn’t go according to plan, just have fun and enjoy the company of your close friends and family. If it is a hit, why not make it an annual thing to kick off the holiday season and get things started on the right foot?

For some people the same question comes up year after year. Should you buy a real or fake Christmas tree? Both have their pros and cons, but ultimately the decision is up to you as to which is your preference. Keep reading and we will break down the pros and cons for both types of trees.

Let’s start with a real Christmas tree…

Pros:

• You can’t get more authentic that this.
• If you love the smell of fresh pine, look no further.
• You help support local farmers who grow these. The majority of these trees are locally grown and are cut from sustainable sources. By purchasing a real tree, you help keep these farmers in business.
• Real trees can be recycled and are environmentally friendly.
• You’ll have a one of a kind unique tree since there are no two that are the same.
• Picking a tree can be a family tradition to kick start the holiday season.

Cons:

• Since the trees are real, you will have to deal with real bugs.
• Pesticides to deal with the bugs. Some of these pesticides should not be used indoors and have been known to cause harmful effects on the nervous systems. So if you are going to buy a real tree, make sure to avoid those that have been treated with certain pesticides.
• You will have to worry about shedding of the pine needles. If you are a lazy old sod... or someone who hates sweeping (who actually likes sweeping?) a real tree might not be ideal for you.

Now let’s move to fake... or faux... Christmas trees… Ohh la la

Pros:

• They’re convenient and durable. When you purchase a fake tree, these can last for years and years with the proper care.
• They come in a range of prices. Making them more affordable.
• Some can come already decorated. Talk about a lazy Christmas!
• You can select from fun colors and variations of designs. If you want to be untraditional, you should probably go this route.
• You don’t have to spend money each year to get a real tree. That means more prezzies!

Cons:

• Many are made with PVC which is known to emit dioxin during its production.
• Many trees cannot be recycled, so this means you will be adding to the planet’s waste when you decide you want a new one.

Personally, if I had to make a decision, I would go with a real tree. While a fake tree is convenient, there are too many risks with them. The fake trees are definitely not kid-friendly and are not eco-friendly. Of course if you have no other choice (let’s say you’re allergic to pine) then by all means purchase a fake tree. Ultimately you need to balance which tree is best for you. Your home, personal situation, and financial situation are all determining factors as to which tree would be best for you.

Good luck making your choice this year! 

Sometimes despite all the decorations, party invitations, and daily cards received in the mail, you may not be in the Christmas spirit. Sometimes as we grow up, we tend to lose that childlike innocence that used to make Christmas wonderful. Instead, we think about bills, dealing with in-laws, or how fat we’re going to get eating all those Christmas dinners.

If you feel your Christmas spirit has been lacking, you are not alone. But we are here to help. Hopefully one of these will bring back that excitement you usually have this time of year.

• Listen to your favorite Christmas music. Maybe the music on the radio isn’t cutting it for you. Why not throw on your favorite Christmas album while you clean or on your way to work? By listening to your favourites, you may notice a change in your mood.

• Be positive. Yes, being an adult can take the magic away when it comes to the holidays but that doesn’t mean it should make you a grump. Try to stay optimistic of your holiday season. You may have to do or deal with things you'd prefer not to, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the positive aspects of it.

• Get into the gift of giving. Christmas isn’t always about commercialism. The greatest gift sometimes is giving to someone in need. So why not volunteer at a shelter or food bank. Give back to the community or to those who really need it. Sometimes just helping others can lift your spirits.

• Spend time with people you want to spend time with. If you’re feeling blue during the holiday season, why not get together with some friends and just hang out. Make it a movie marathon where every person needs to pick out their favorite. It’s a great way to catch up with friends old and new and to spread some holiday cheer. 

• Put your tree up early. If waiting to put your tree up isn’t doing it for you, why not set it up earlier? Or maybe you don’t put up a tree because you’re single or have no children. That definitely may be a reason why you haven’t been able to get into the holiday spirit. So invest some money into a tree and decorate it. Make sure it’s in an area where you can’t miss it. Put a ton of lights on it and make it festive. It can even be a small tree, just the fact you are partaking in a holiday tradition can help.

• Cook or bake your favorite holiday treat. Let’s say your aunt bakes your favorite cookies during the holidays. The smell and taste immediately makes you smile. Why not ask her for the recipe so you can make it for yourself at home? Creating or making something nostalgic can instantly boost your spirit.

Don’t let being an adult ruin your holiday spirit. Try some of these ideas and see how you’re feeling after. Remember, Christmas time isn’t about the stress or the materialistic things, it has and should always be about love, giving, and family.