Ahhh Snowflake Lane… You love it, or you hate it… I hated it, until I figured out how to do it. There are a few key elements to a successful trip to Snowflake Lane. This is definitely one of those holiday traditions that seems like a miserable, terrible idea until you look at your kids faces and realize how magical it is for them.

A little know fact: Christmas photos on Santa’s lap were INVENTED in Seattle in the 1940s. Did you know that??? Maybe you did, but I didn’t until like 2 years ago. Which is shameful, because not only was I born and raised in Seattle, but I did this every year as a kid and am now continuing the tradition with my family.

Doesn’t it feel like it’s becoming really trendy to have a “minimalist” Christmas, where you give your kids 4 presents? Around early November I’m ready to completely subscribe to this idea. My oldest son’s birthday is right at this time, so we always get an influx of new toys just before holiday gift planning begins.

Recently, I gave my 4-year-old the Target Christmas toy catalog and a pen, thinking he’d browse the pages, circling a handful of things he liked… Instead, he circled approximately 90% of the items and started saying: “I want this, and this, and this, and this….” Apparently this wasn’t such a good exercise…