When I hear the word “home” versus “house,” there is a distinct difference in the emotion evoked and the association linked to those words. Home is central to the holiday season for me. It made me think about what makes my house a home when I read Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas address this evening. She said, “We think of our homes as places of warmth, familiarity and love … there is a timeless simplicity to the pull of home.” I hope that I am creating a home where my family feels warmth, familiarity and love. Here are a few things we can do to create such a home.

1. Show love and affection. This one may seem simple and obvious but there is always more we can improve on in the area. Do you know your family members’ Love Languages? If not do a little research and make an effort to show love in the way they will receive it best.

2. Create familiarity for your family in your home by creating daily rituals as well as holiday traditions. I could always count on my dad coming home at 4:30, washing up and then we’d eat dinner together most nights. This predictability and familiarity created a sense of peace and familiarity for me and my family.

3. Encourage a warm environment. To me warmth, is synonymous with acceptance, welcoming, comfort, encouragement. When I am making an effort to focus on these things, my home feels more warm and inviting.

I hope during this holiday season, we can all make an effort to make our homes more loving, familiar and familiar. This will provide a valuable foundation for o