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Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions

December 20, 2014
Post by Nick & Aleah Valley of Valley & Co.

It’s hard to believe that we’re in the thick of the holiday season and that Christmas is next week! While we’ve sure savored every moment, we still have reindeer and Santa to visit, cookies to bake and movies to watch! As it’s Ava’s first Christmas, seeing the excitement and the magic of the season through her eyes has reminded us to slow down and enjoy the little things that make this time of year so special.

Creating new traditions for her has been so important to us for each holiday thus far, and we have made some great family traditions for this holiday season, like searching for our family tree in the snow, adorning a darling little Charlie Brown Christmas tree for her nursery, sewing satin stockings that will forever hang above our mantel, decking out our ceramic village, and throwing a cupcakes and ornaments party! Here are some scenes from our get together, complete with snow globes, wintry scenes, and lots of goodness from The Land of Nod.

Throw an effortless and festive kid-friendly cookie, cupcake or tree trimming party this weekend with our tips:

Make easy cupcake toppers with gumdrops and toothpicks – simply skewer two or three glittering gumdrops through the pick end of the toot pick and insert into a cupcake

Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 39  Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 15

Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 37Lay out soft ornaments atop each kid’s place setting for them to take home.

Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 43 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 41 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 35 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 34 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 33 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 13 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 6Set place settings with jars, snow and little bottle brush trees and creatures for kids to make wintry scenes to take home.

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Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 7 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 3 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 12 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 32Aleah’s mom {Ava’s grandma} made Ava these beautiful floating houses {inspired by a Land of Nod display she saw earlier this year} and they’re perfectly dreamy for a table top focal point.

Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 11Dress up glasses of milk or water with birch paper straws.

Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 9 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 38Create a gorgeous {and easy} centerpiece with fresh cut evergreen sprigs and nestle in ornaments.

Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 14Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 23 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 24  Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 10Happy Holidays!

Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 17 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 18 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 19 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 20 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 21 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 22 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 25 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 26 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 26 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 29 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 30 Creating Holiday Entertaining Traditions 42 Party design: Valley & Co. || Photos: Dennis Wise || Cupcakes and Party Room: Trophy Cupcakes

Nick & Aleah Valley are the husband + wife owners and operators of Valley & Co. Lifestyle, based in the beautiful Emerald City {Seattle}. They love to make life grand and believe that any occasion, whether small or large, is cause for celebration. They believe that entertaining at home welcomes memories and laughter. Follow them on their blog and Instagram.