The holidays are a crazy time for all of us. There are gifts need to buy, turkeys to roast, and houses that need to the decorated. With all the hussle and bussle of the holidays, it's hard to find time for those special little traditions that make the holiday season a favorite for most. Here are just a few from my family that many can relate to, or even inspire your family's next holiday gathering:

1. Black Friday Shopping

Every year on Thanksgiving as the pies are being cleared and belts are being loosened, my dad and I sneak away to begin our Black Friday early. We plunder each store and return home with our loot; only to wake up at 7 the next morning and head to the mall. Some may say it's a little hypocritical to go out and buy material items after you just gave thanks for all you have, but Black Friday is an essential part of my Thanksgiving nonetheless. It's exciting and who doesn't love a good sale?

2. Listening to Christmas Music While We Decorate

We always travel to my grandparents for Thanksgiving, so when we return the Christmas season is already in full swing. We always decorate our house on that Sunday after and it's probably one of favorite days of the year. My dad plays his annual Christmas music playlist and we sing along as we hang ornaments. It sounds like a scene out of Christmas movie on ABC Family, but trust me unlike those movies, more than a few ornaments are broken during our decorating. It can't be Christmas without at least one less ornament than last year.

3. Card Games

Cards are one of the main events of any Bretan holiday. For as long as I can remember we have played cards at every family gathering. Rummy 500, Hearts, War, Golf, you name it, we've probably played it. I don't know why or how this tradition started, but you can count that somewhere in the house their is someone shuffling a deck during the holiday season. Due to my competitive streak, I used to be notorious for cheating and still today their is speculation whenever I win.

4. Christmas PJ's

Christmas pijamas have been a tradition since I, the first grandchild, was born. Every year we get new Christmas pijamas to change into after Christmas Eve dinner and to snuggle up in as we sit together and watch Christmas movies. When the grandchildren were little, we all used to get matching plaid pijamas and look like short little lumberjacks. Also up until recently, matching dresses were also a must for every holiday season.

5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

No holiday season is complete without watching National Lampoon's Christmas vacation at least 30 times. I think I can quote the whole movie at this point and my grandpa has even taken to calling our family the "Griswolds." You would think that at this point the jokes would have been worn out, but year after year chuckles and giggles resonate around the living room.