Gathering moments, celebrating grace, and weaving meaning into the holidays.

Every December, when the days feel a little fuller and the evenings glow a little softer, my family and I gather for one of my very favorite traditions.  One we lovingly call

"The Memory Tree"

It started years ago on a whim, but it has become the tradition we look forward to the most… even more than the hot cocoa bar and watching our favorite Christmas movies on repeat.
And today, I’m sharing it with you.  In case your heart has been craving something simple, meaningful, and memory-filled, too.

How Our Memory Tree Tradition Began

As another year was coming to a close, I found myself wishing for a way to help my family see the good....Really see it...amidst the hard, the hectic, and the everyday blur.

So one December, we decided to each choose 3–5 photos from the year that held meaning for us.
Not perfect photos.
Not curated or staged or matching or filtered.

Just moments.
Moments that made us smile.
Moments where we overcame something.
Moments that reminded us that yes...this year was full of goodness, too.

I printed them out in photo format. And then… we made a night of it.

Our Family Memory Night

We gather with treats, Christmas music playing in the background, and that warm, familiar buzz of everyone talking over each other.  The kind of sound that tells you you’re right where you belong.

One by one, we each get a moment to share our chosen memories:

✨ Why this moment mattered
✨ What made it special
✨ What we learned
✨ What we want to remember going into the new year

It’s beautiful every time --the laughter, the stories, the little things that meant the world to someone else… things we didn’t even realize at the time.

It brings our family closer, centers us, and reminds us that even in the midst of the hard, there was joy we may have missed if we weren’t paying attention.

Hanging the Memories on the Tree

After everyone shares, we hang our photos on the Christmas tree.  Our Memories within a tree, and it becomes a gallery of gratitude for the whole season.

Visitors ask about the photos.
Kids point to their favorites again and again.
And I find myself pausing every time I walk by, remembering something I thought I’d forgotten.

It’s grounding.
It’s healing.
And it’s one of the most meaningful things we do together each year.

What Happens After Christmas

When the season wraps up and the ornaments come down, the memories don’t get tucked into a box.

Instead, we gather the photos and place them into a simple photo album.  Our Memory Book for the year.

And the sweetest part?
Throughout the year, someone in the house will randomly pull it off the shelf, flip through it, and relive the moments that shaped us.

It’s a year-round reminder that:
We did well.
We grew.
We showed up.
We had moments worth remembering.

A Tradition You Can Start This Year

If you’ve been wanting something deeper and more intentional this season, something that blends nostalgia with meaning, this might be the perfect tradition to begin with your own family.

All you need is:

• A handful of favorite photos

• A few simple photos (or even paper cutouts!)

• A cozy night to gather everyone together

• A heart ready to celebrate the good

Make it simple.
Make it yours.
And watch how it transforms the way your family remembers the year.

Warmly, 

Kelly

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