A Kentucky Christmas!

Christmas in Kentucky was so different from our Utah Christmas'. We didn't do a lot of our old traditions, but we made some new ones! I loved trying all the peppermint hot chocolates, trying new treats, shopping at new places, and the weather was so different from what we are used to. There are so many festive areas in Kentucky. Everyone decorates at stores, restaurants, neighborhoods, towns, and shopping spots. It was so fun to see all the decorations and to try all the new foods and treats. I'll share with you all my favorite things we did this Christmas season! 

Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass

We adventured out to the outlets in Simpsonville on Black Friday. It was so packed, but it was so fun to experience. We found some great deals and some fun things. The decorations were all up and ready for pictures. We always get a big Christmas tree picture every year and this year was no different. I think we will go super early next year to miss some of the crowds. 

North Lime Coffee and Donuts

North Lime Coffee and Donuts has two different locations in Louisville Kentucky area. We tried the downtown Louisville location this time around and thought the building was so cool! We stopped by for a peppermint hot chocolate this holiday season. They also had donuts with holiday sprinkles and flavors. This was one of my favorite holiday dates we did this season! 

Cinnamon Rolls

Every year my mom would make cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, so I associate cinnamon rolls with Christmas! We did get to try a few different cinnamon rolls throughout Kentucky! My favorite I have tried so far is from Hadorn's Bakery in Bardstown. The roll has a donut like dough and a vanilla glazed type frosting. Wild Eggs has a homemade cinnamon roll they are known for. There is a coating of cinnamon sugar on the bottom and the dough is crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. Morning Fork has a cinnamon roll that is more traditional to a roll I'm use to! They all have been good and would be perfect for a Christmas morning breakfast. 

Quill's Coffee

One of my favorite peppermint flavored drink this season was from Quill's Coffee! They have a few holiday flavors to pick from. I got a White Peppermint hot chocolate that tasted just like the Hershey's peppermint kisses. My husband loves their coffee all year round. Any of their locations are so neat and in good areas with lots of other things around. It's never a bad idea to have a hot drink on a cold wintery day! 

Aldi Christmas Treats 

This was our first Christmas living near an Aldi! We went the very first of November to catch the new Christmas treats. They had a lot of items to choose from. We started off with the peppermint chocolate limited edition bar, the Moser Roth truffles and the peppermint almond creamer. They had the cutest Christmas decor and all for a good price! Every week they had something new to go and see. We have found a lot of fun holiday treats and items this year. 

Downtown Bardstown

Bardstown is a small little town, but big on tourism. They had a tree lighting and parade on the main street downtown. We didn't go to the activities, but we did take a day trip to see the Christmas tree in town square and the Stephen Foster house with all the decorations. Main street is right off of a Hallmark movie. It was so fun to experience that kind of place for the holidays. We love Hadorn's down the road and Thompson Mart for an ice cream. If you only can do one thing this Christmas season, I would suggest to visit Bardstown! 

Muth's Candies 

My husband and I had a tradition in Utah, where we would get a box of chocolates from See's Candies for the season. Kentucky doesn't have a See's store here, so we had to find a new spot. Muth's is one of our favorites since moving here. They have an old fashion candy shop with lots of chocolates to pick from. My favorite it is the chocolate covered Majeska's and my husband likes their Pecan Turtles. My mom tried the peppermint patty chocolates and loved them, too! The holidays make a chocolate shop taste and seem way more fun for some reason! 

Derby Pie

We had to get a Derby Pie for Thanksgiving this year, right?! We didn't end up finding one until the day after Thanksgiving so this moved on into our Christmas season. Kentucky is known for their Derby pie, which is a pecan pie with chocolate chips. Only one company has the rights to the name so it can't be called that throughout Kentucky at other restaurants and bakeries, but they are all pretty much the same pie. I don't love Pecan pie, but with chocolate it makes it so good! 

Hadorn's Bakery

We have fallen in love with Hadorn's Bakery for their donuts. They have the cutest little downtown store with holiday decorations. I have been there through a few different seasons and they always have it decorated cute. We love their donut holes, cinnamon pretzels, and their glazed. They had cookies and holiday desserts to pick from too! This was a fun stop for sure! 

Louisville Airport

We were lucky enough to go visit family during the holidays. We were so impressed with the Louisville airport. They had Christmas trees all over and lots of cute decorations. There was a large Christmas tree in the middle of the airport that was super cool. 

Trader Joe's 

It isn't the holiday's until I walk into a Trader Joe's! They just have such a fun vibe in stores and the best Christmas treats to pick from. I love the chocolate mint stars, Jingle Jangle, Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies, Peppermint Pretzel Slims, and looking for all the new seasonal items. We usually do these for neighbor gifts and for friends. The trick to Trader Joe's is going early in the day and often to get the seasonal items. 

Starbucks (Cake Pops) 

This was my first year trying the cake pops at Starbucks! My husband went the end of November so I thought the reindeer would have been there, but it wasn't out yet! It was still a fun surprise and the cake pops are worth the hype! I got a birthday cake pop and the chocolate cake pop. They both were good for their own flavors and reasons. I would get them both again! The peppermint and reindeer are on my to try list still! Starbucks does a good job on their holiday drinks, too! 

First Snow in Kentucky! 

We didn't get snow until December 18th in Kentucky and it was a baby storm. It was still flurries though so it counts! We are used to snow way earlier in Utah, so it's been a treat having a longer fall season and a mild winter so far. We have heard they do get a few snow storms a year here that will be a lot so we are waiting for that. It did make it feel like Christmas sitting on the couch watching the little flurries! 

Utah and Georgia Trip! 

Part of our Christmas in Kentucky was flying back to Utah to visit my family and driving to Georgia to visit my husband's family! We were there for three days and used every minute we had exploring, eating, and being with family both trips. I have a blog all about our three-day trip to Utah that will be out in two weeks and our Georgia trip will be out in a couple more weeks! Come back to see what we did! 

Christmas in the Park (Elizabethtown)

Freeman Park in Elizabethtown does a Christmas in the Park display. It is a free event where you are able to drive through the park and look at light displays. They even had lights in the lake! Our favorites were elves doing gymnastics on a bar and beam, a Santa was sitting in a cop car, and lots of other clever displays. You tune your radio to a Christmas channel and enjoy the ride. Even my husband was pointing things out so he must have enjoyed it a little bit! 

What were your favorite things you did for Christmas this season?