One recipe. One bowl. One playlist.
But this time, every set of hands joins the moment.

In our home, Christmas baking has always happened at the dining room table — long before our son was born, long before little footprints and tiny aprons joined the tradition. It’s where we spread everything out, settle in, and make room for the kind of memories that only grow sweeter with time.

This year was no different.
We reached for a simple boxed gingerbread mix — the easiest, yes, during a busy season — and set everything out on the table, letting the moment unfold the way it always does: slowly, softly, together.

Tiny hands pressed cookie cutters into the dough with so much determination. Flour drifted across the table like little snow flurries. The warmth of the Christmas playlist filled the room, making everything feel cozier. We all worked together, sharing laughter and smiles as the dough took shape under our fingertips.

And the cookies?
Unevenly baked. Slightly crisp on the edges.
Perfect in every way that matters.

Because Christmas family time isn’t about creating flawless moments — it’s about creating shared ones.

It’s the way everyone leans closer over the table.
The way your child lights up when they’re invited to pour, stir, and shape the dough.
The way familiar traditions feel brand new again through their eyes.
The way a simple boxed mix becomes the anchor of a memory you didn’t know you needed.

These are the moments that rise.
These are the moments that stay.

A Christmas baking night doesn’t require effort — only intention.
A willingness to pause, gather around the same table you’ve always gathered around, and let the little things become the stories of your season.

So choose the boxed mix.
Choose the imperfect cookies.
Choose the dining room table.
Choose the memory every time.

Because these are the moments your family will carry forward — soft, simple, and beautifully yours.

For the past few weeks, I’ve let go of the idea that my son can’t have any screen time. I still try to cap it, but I now choose intentionally. And that’s where low-stimulating toddler shows — especially festive, cozy ones — become such a gift.

The holidays bring magic, but they also bring overstimulation: bright lights, loud music, full schedules. So choosing slow-paced, calm shows helps our toddlers wind down and still enjoy the season.

Below is a list of gentle Christmas + winter themed shows and movies, PLUS guidance on healthy toddler screen-time limits so you can feel confident and supported — not guilty — when the TV is on.

❄️ Low-Stimulating Christmas & Winter Shows for Toddlers

(Quiet colors, slow pacing, minimal sound effects, gentle storylines)

1. Sarah & Duck: Snowball Skating

A calm winter episode with soft music, slow visuals, and gentle humor.
Where to watch: Apple TV.

2. Little Bear: Winter Tales

Classic, quiet, and cozy. Warm winter storytelling without fast cuts or bright flashing.
Where to watch: Availability varies; often found on Amazon, Apple TV for purchase or you can find some episodes available on YouTube.

3. Kipper: Christmas Eve

Extremely calm and soothing — great for background viewing.
Where to watch: Typically on Amazon Video (rent/own) 

4. Bluey: Christmas Swim

Not fully low-stimulating, but very soft animation and emotional warmth.
Where to watch: Disney+.

5. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Snowflake Day

Slow pacing, gentle songs, soft colors — great for toddlers who love routines.
Where to watch: Apple TV; also on PBS Kids (episode availability may rotate).

6. Puffin Rock: Winter Episodes

Nature-focused, minimal dialogue, beautiful soft artwork.
Where to watch: Netflix; also available for purchase on Amazon or Apple TV.

7. Franklin’s Christmas Gift

Old-school animation with slow pacing and kind storytelling.
Where to watch: Often available on Amazon Video (rent/own); some episodes are available on YouTube.

8. Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer’s Llamas

Soft colors and little dialogue make it good for toddlers who like silly but not loud.
Where to watch: Netflix; sometimes on Amazon Video.

9. The Snowman (1982)

Iconic, slow, silent storytelling. A perfect nap-time vibe.
Where to watch: Prime Video (rent/own) and Apple TV.

10. Peter Rabbit: Winter Games

Gentle winter adventure with calm music.
Where to watch: Amazon Video; episode availability varies, and some episodes are available on YouTube.

🍪 Gingerbread & Holiday Baking Vibe (Calm Choices)

11. Stella & Sam: Gingerbread Cookie Mystery

Soft illustrations and slow pacing.
Where to watch: Amazon Video (rent/own), and some episodes are available on YouTube.

12. Bing: Christmas Special

Simple animation, predictable rhythms, and gentle toddler-friendly themes.
Where to watch: Max (formerly HBO Max); some episodes available on YouTube.

13. Tumble Leaf: Snowflake Dance

Pastel colors, slow motion, peaceful music — an AMAZING low-stim show in general.
Where to watch: Prime Video (Amazon original).

🎥 Full Movies (Calm, Not Overwhelming)

These are great if you want to watch something together:

14. Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year

Warm, slow, nostalgic — the softest Christmas movie ever.
Where to watch: Disney+.

15. Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas

Gentle humor, familiar characters, light pacing.
Where to watch: Amazon Video, Tubi, Hulu, or Apple TV (rent/buy).

16. Frosty the Snowman (1969)

Classic, simple animation and easy storytelling.
Where to watch: Hulu, Peacock, Disney+, also found on Amazon (rent/buy), depending on season.

17. A Charlie Brown Christmas

Muted colors, slow pacing, soft jazz music — peaceful for kids and moms.
Where to watch: Apple TV+ (exclusive).

18. Trash Truck Christmas

Gentle holiday story, slow pacing, soft music, and warm messages about kindness and helping others — perfect for calm, toddler-friendly viewing.
Where to watch: Netflix 

📝 A Few Tips to Keep in Mind (Especially During the Holidays)

Streaming rights change often — especially for Christmas specials. Platforms shift things seasonally, so availability may rotate.

Here are a few mom-to-mom tips:

• Check both your streaming apps and Amazon/Apple — sometimes the episode isn’t included anywhere, but is inexpensive to rent.

• Holiday episodes often move from platform to platform depending on the month.

• Classic specials (like Peanuts) are usually held on exclusive platforms.

• Some shows only have certain seasons available, so you might not find every winter episode at once.

• When in doubt, check YouTube; some episodes/movies are available for free and may be accessible to you for viewing.

• Keep expectations low — the goal is calm, not perfection.

You’re not doing anything wrong if you can’t find one exact episode. Another calm option is always there.

🧡 Let’s Talk Screen Time (No Guilt, Just Real Info)

Here’s what trusted organizations say:

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):

• Toddlers ages 2–5: Up to 1 hour per day of high-quality programming is recommended.

• Co-watching is encouraged because it helps toddlers understand what they see and makes screen time more meaningful.

• Avoid fast-paced, flashing, or overstimulating content.

💬 Release the Pressure, Mama

We don’t need to pretend screen time doesn’t help us.
Sometimes it’s background noise while we cook.
Sometimes it’s a moment to breathe.
Sometimes it’s a way to bond during the holidays while snuggled under a blanket.

Choosing slow, gentle, toddler-friendly shows isn’t “lazy parenting” — it’s intentional parenting.

If the TV is going to be on, you deserve options that support your child’s nervous system and your peace of mind.

You’re doing a beautiful job.
And during this busy holiday season, give yourself some grace — and a cozy movie moment with your little one.

Because love still deserves a seat at the table during the holidays

Christmas looks different once you have kids — fuller, louder, messier… and somehow quieter all at the same time. Date nights don’t always mean leaving the house, finding a sitter, or dressing up. Sometimes, they live right in the middle of bedtime routines, twinkle lights, and half-finished mugs of cocoa.

Here are intentional, realistic Christmas date ideas for couples with children — ideas that fit into family life while still nurturing connection, romance, and presence.

⸻

1. Christmas Lights Walk (After Bedtime or With the Kids)

Bundle everyone up and take a slow walk or drive to look at Christmas lights. If the kids are with you, turn it into a family moment — then savor the quiet together afterward.

Make it a date:

Hold hands. Share childhood Christmas memories. Grab hot chocolate for just the two of you once the kids are asleep.

2. At-Home Christmas Movie Night (With an Adult Twist)

Once the kids are in bed, rewatch a nostalgic Christmas movie together — something familiar and comforting.

Ideas:

• The Holiday

• It’s a Wonderful Life

• Love Actually (edited or late-night 😉)

Add blankets, candles, and a dessert you don’t have to share.

3. Decorate the Tree Together (Slow + Intentional)

Even if the kids decorate earlier in the day, put the ornaments back on together at night. Turn on music, dim the lights, and take your time.

This isn’t about perfection — it’s about ritual.

4. Christmas Baking Date After Bedtime

Choose one recipe. One bowl. One playlist. Kids optional — but quite recommended.

Burned cookies still count. It’s the laughing, sneaking chocolate chips, and midnight cleanup that matter.

5. Late-Night Wrapping Party

When the house is finally quiet, wrap gifts together. Sit on the floor. Talk about hopes for the kids, the year behind you, the one ahead.

This one always turns emotional in the best way.

6. Christmas Morning Coffee Date (Before the Chaos)

Wake up 15 minutes early. Sit together in the quiet. No phones. No agenda.

It’s small — but wildly intimate.

7. Recreate Your Pre-Kids Christmas Date

Think back to something you did together before kids — ice skating, a café stop, music in the car — and recreate it in a simplified way.

Nostalgia is a powerful connection glue.

8. Backyard Bonfire or Porch Cocoa Night

If you have outdoor space, step outside together once the kids are down. Wrap up in blankets. Light candles or a fire pit. Just breathe.

Silence counts as intimacy too.

9. Write Each Other a Christmas Letter

No pressure. No fancy paper needed.

Write one page:

• What I noticed about you this year

• How I saw you show up as a parent

• One thing I love about us

Read them aloud — or save them.

10. Dream About the Future (Without Solving Anything)

Pour wine or tea. Pull out a notebook. Talk about dreams — not logistics.

Trips. Hopes. Who you’re becoming, together.

You don’t need big plans to make Christmas meaningful. Sometimes the deepest connection happens after bedtime, in the quiet spaces where it’s just the two of you — still choosing each other.

Love doesn’t disappear when you have kids.

It just asks to be practiced differently.

 

You are standing there, holding a balloon shaped like the number three.
Your hair is a little longer.
Your smile is a little wider.
Your world is a little bigger.

I keep coming back to that image, as though it holds a small doorway into who you were then… and who you are becoming now.

So I turned it into a line illustration — soft, minimal, almost weightless — the way memories feel when they’ve settled gently into our hearts. Inside the curve of the number three, I drew tiny florals, delicate and unfolding. A simple reminder of what this year has been for us:

Growth.
Yours.
Mine.
Ours, together.

As you step into four, I find myself looking back at the in-between moments — the ones that never made it into photos. The quiet mornings in the kitchen. The messy afternoons on the floor. The soft bedtime whispers. The way your hand still fits inside mine, even as it stretches a little more each season.

Growth is never loud.
It’s never sudden.
It’s the slow unfurling — the tiny petals no one sees until suddenly they’re there.

That’s what this illustration means to me.

Not just your age.
But the gentle opening of who you are becoming.
And the quiet work I’m doing to grow right beside you.

Parenthood has taught me that we grow in layers — not just upward, but inward. This past year, you learned new words, new curiosities, and new independence. I learned new patience, new softness, new ways of seeing the world through your eyes.

It’s funny how our growth stories are woven into each other without us ever meaning for them to be.

You are turning four soon, and it feels like we are walking into a new chapter — one that holds a little more confidence, a little more courage, a little more wonder. And I’m realizing that I’m growing into this version of motherhood at the same time.

Maybe that’s what these years are meant to be:
Two people finding their way forward, side by side.
You are learning the world.
I'm learning from you.

So this is my love letter to your growth — and to mine.

From this moment to four,
from sketch to memory,
from petals to whole blooms,
we’ll keep unfolding together.

Always growing.
Always becoming.
Always us.

The illustration is below. 
And if any part of this post felt familiar or meaningful to you, come find me on Pinterest — I’d love to connect there.