It surely is beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas all around! I love taking it all in and enjoying this season to the fullest. The prettiest sights and carols are those right in your own home and heart!

To get the most from the Christmas magic and stretch it out as much as possible, I wanted to create a fun, cozy family gathering in our living room. Making special memories with a few simple but magical touches right at home! This is the last in my Seasons of Home series for this year. It’s amazing how time flies. Keep reading to see ways we make our home magical by candlelight and scroll to the bottom to see my friends and how they incorporate candlelight.

An Enchanting Christmas by candlelight

Creating an enchanting, magical, and special Christmas experience does not take much. All you really need are your loved ones and definitely some sort of twinkle or candlelight!

Here are a few things we do in the Thurmon household to make Christmas extra special and create lasting memories!

MASON JARS WITH FLOATING CANDLES

Grab a mason jar and create this beautiful light with a few easy steps

YOU’LL NEED

A mason jar

Pine, cedar, juniper, or any of that sort

Pomegranate seeds or cranberries

A floating candle

HOW TO

Break the pine into small pieces and place inside the jar

Add the cranberries and/or pomegranates to the jar

Add the floating candle and light

ENJOY the beautiful light! These stay fresh for about 2-3 days.

MORE candles and twinkle lights

Yes, candles are placed everywhere! A mix of different sizes, shapes, and scents creates a lovely, warm, and relaxing feeling in the home. I love to use large hurricane vases filled with candles around the fireplace.

I found an old candelabra years ago that was a gold color. I spray painted it matte black and it has been one of my favorites to use for bringing extra candlelight.

Twinkle lights on the Christmas tree and hung around our mantel add the Christmassy feeling and joy.

See here how I decorated for Christmas this year using candles, twinkle lights, and natural elements!

And we also always add a special Christmas touch to our barn. Have a look here!

A burning FIREPLACE

Use that fireplace! Don’t let it be a white elephant in the room. A crackling fire is a sure way to capture your thoughts, make you relax, and create a cozy atmosphere. It’s also so fun to lie in front of it and read or tell stories. A wood stove can be just as cozy too!

DRINKING HOT COCOA

Yes, it is cliche, but for good reason! Nothing like a nice cup of hot, oozy, thick, rich, hot cocoa to make you warm and your heart content on a cold winter’s evening.

Here is our favorite hot cocoa recipe!

Dark chocolate, cocoa powder, coconut, almond milk, and some crushed peppermints make this hot cocoa super tasty and fun for those cozy nights. Make a large batch and sip for a few days as it re-warms well on the stove.

Ava does not get sweets often so she was excited to try this hot chocolate.

eating all the yummy things!

The holidays are the perfect excuse to treat yourself after a long year, right?! Why not make a few delicious treats and snacks which your family loves and enjoy them without any guilt ;-)

These are some of our favorites to enjoy over the holidays:

Christmas Tree Breadsticks Appetizer

Raspberry Chocolate Jam Cookies

Cranberry Orange Sugar Cookies

Mini Holiday Apples

Pistachio and Pomegranate Chocolate Bark

pistachio+and+pomegranate+chocolate+bark (1).jpg

Carols, games & stories

Our Christmas family gatherings would not be completed without some fun family activities and traditions. During these special holidays, we like to take the time to spend quality time together by listening to and singing carols, playing some fun games, and reading stories.

Here are 10 festive activity ideas for the holidays that include the whole family!

I hope this has given you a few ideas on how to make a cozy and enchanting family gathering by candlelight. It’s not about anything fancy but about gathering together to make memories. See below for some ideas my friends give for creating a magical Christmas by candlelight.