we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
- Our Grand Lives
- 16 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
We both are thisclose to putting finishing touches on our own holiday plans!
We hope today’s blog post finds YOU feeling prepared for the days ahead…
or at least with the sense that everything is under control!
Look who Laura ran into at Target recently?
Despite his busy schedule,
even Santa has grocery shopping to do these day!
Whether your holiday is perfectly planned
or you’ve still got a few things to check off your to-do list,
our hope is that you’ll be able to slow down, soak in the magic,
and celebrate the joys of Christmas and the New Year with those you love!
Laurie has a jam packed schedule with family
on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
while Laura and Hubby are looking forward to a quiet holiday with Daughter A.
(They had their BIG family celebration a few weekends ago.)
Then, we’ll both ring in the New Year with loved ones, too!
This is our final post for 2025
as we plan to take the next few weeks to savor moments with family and friends.
We can’t wait!
Bring on the Christmas magic!
The holidays are the perfect time to
create memories that last a lifetime,
and you know how much we love that!
Make It a Merry Christmas!
If you’re still looking for ways to add extra cheer to your Christmas plans, we’re here to help! Check out our recent posts for everything from heartwarming traditions to playful games to festive recipes and more!
And, if you are still in need of stocking stuffer ideas,
check out our suggestions below for ALL ages!
HAPPY STUFFING TO YOU ALL!
And a Happy New Year!
Will you be hosting a New Year’s celebration this year? Or, will you be having a quiet evening with loved ones? Either way, each of the ideas we are sharing below are sure to add some flair to your holiday gatherings and will provide fun for kids of all ages! If you have Littles joining in the celebration, we suggest having them help as you set the stage together!
🥳 Setting the Stage!
Some of the ideas shared go way back but each still provides loads of fun as you countdown to a new year!
Hide the New Year Baby!
Your Littles will love this one! Take a baby doll and attach a sticker that has the new year written on it (i.e. 2025). Then, throughout the celebration, take turns hiding the baby and let others hunt for Baby “New Year”!
Have Glow Necklaces and Bracelets or Sparklers Ready to Go!
As midnight nears, you can all head outside… both options are such fun additions for ringing in the New Year!
Bake in the New Year with Breadstick Dough!
How fun would it be to add this to your New Year’s Eve menu? The Littles will love making it and eating it... especially if it's served with marinara sauce as a holiday appetizer OR with spaghetti or lasagna as the main course!
🥳 Countdown Bags with Littles!
We’ve got one more way that you can make your New Year’s celebration extra special! You and your family can celebrate the ending of one year and the fresh start of a new one by setting up hourly countdown bags. Each hour, leading up to midnight, the Littles are invited to open up the corresponding countdown bag. Inside each bag will be all the details and supplies needed to complete that hour’s fun task. The Littles will be excited and sure to love it.
While this activity will definitely take some prep on the front end, it is a fun way to keep the kiddos busy all day and evening long!
NOTE: All of the ideas shared in this post are just a sampling from one of our very first blog posts in late 2022. You can find details for each idea (including hourly ideas for the countdown) and more, in this linked post - Happy New Year! A GRAND Celebration!
From cozy nights at home to joyful gatherings with friends and family,
we’re here to help make your Christmas and New Year’s unforgettable.
While we take our blogging break, we’ll also be taking time away from Instagram and Facebook, too! However, feel free to stop by and scroll through past posts - you’ll find LOTS of great ideas there!
THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts
for taking the time to stop by and read our blog this year.
Your words of support this past year have encouraged us
and we continue to learn from you, too!
We love our blogging community!
If you'd like to comment below OR subscribe to our blog, we'd love that!
By subscribing you won’t accidentally miss our next post either…
(coming in mid January).
We can’t wait to see what 2026 will bring!
Before we bid farewell til next year,
we’ve got our holiday cards to share with you all!
Laurie and crew (as per usual) got very creative with their annual greeting!
Even the fur babies shared their dreams!
Meanwhile, Laura and Hubby focused on life's JOYS!
With the back side offering a summary of all the JOYS that 2025 brought their way!
As we close out 2025, our prayer and our wish for you is simple:
that you would discover beauty in the everyday moments
and a deeper peace that lasts beyond the holidays.
May your heart be filled with hope, your days with light,
and your life with the kind of joy
that comes from the true gift of Christmas~
JOY TO THE WORLD!
💗 We are delighted to join the following link up parties and blog hops! 💗
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