In this episode of The Kitchen Hour Podcast, I kicked back with my good friend and Managing Editor of TheHappiestHome.com, Sarah Powers, to discuss holiday traditions. Are traditions something  you have to “create” or do they just happen? How can you give kids the chance to do traditional holiday activities like sitting on Santa’s lap without stressing yourself out (or scaring the lights out of them?) And just what is up with the Elf on the Shelf suddenly being the new parental obligation?

I had so much fun talking with Sarah during this episode! I hope you’ll enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed chatting. To hear the podcast, just click the “play” button at the bottom of the post, or you can subscribe in iTunes. 

Here’s how to do that! If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes”. From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer automatically. (You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews, and if you’re feeling inclined I’d be grateful for a positive rating while you’re there!)

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Here are links to some of the things Sarah and I discussed during the podcast:

* Sarah’s Huffington Post essay about how traditions evolve naturally over time and don’t need to be “created” overnight is sparking discussion at HuffPo, just as it inspired our conversation in this podcast!

* Check out this hilarious photo of Sarah’s oldest daughter Allegra (held by her daycare teacher) definitely not enjoying her visit with Santa!

* Sarah and I spent a couple of minutes trying to work out the origins of the Elf on The Shelf, which I believed had originated as a practice in Southern homes until its relatively recent commercial boom. I was a little hazy on the details, but this article about Carol Aebersold, the creator of the “Elf on the Shelf” phenomenon as we know it today, indicates that her parents may have originated the tradition in their East Tennessee home in the 1970s. So I guess, in a way, I was right!

* We also talked about our favorite holiday tunes. Sarah mentioned two newer albums you might want to check out: Elvis Presley Christmas Duets and The Lower Lights: Come Let Us Adore Him.

* During the intro I mentioned our post about toys that stand the test of time. 

Want to find out more about Sarah? You can read all of her posts at The Happiest Home here, read her personal blog Powers of Mine, or follow her on Twitter.