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Vanessa Lachey shares her favorite family Christmas traditions

Vanessa Lachey shared photos of her home's Christmas decorations, as well as her family's favorite ways to spend the holidays.
Vanessa Lachey Christmas Decor
Vanessa Lachey takes Christmas decorating very seriously!Matt Harrington for HomeGoods
/ Source: TODAY

Vanessa Lachey is celebrating her favorite time of year with gorgeous home decor — and sharing the results!

Lachey has found sentimental ways to make the holidays special for her entire family with treasured traditions. She shared with TODAY Home how she keeps up with husband Nick Lachey when he's on the road with 98 Degrees, what her kids' favorite holiday activities are and even some of her family's annual Christmas traditions. Lachey spoke with TODAY Home as part of her partnership with HomeGoods, who provided all of the decorations for her home.

Vanessa Lachey Christmas Decor
The mantel is absolutely stunning.Matt Harrington for HomeGoods

"I love the holiday season — the day after Thanksgiving we start decorating," Vanessa Lachey told TODAY Home. "I found this really cool buffalo check pillow, and then just found all these other great little pieces to complement it."

Lachey says that her decorations have expanded throughout the house over the years, but that's not the only change. Lachey points out that it's totally obvious from the moment someone walks in the door that they have children: Camden, 6, Brooklyn, 3, and Phoenix, 1.

Vanessa Lachey
Every corner of the open floor plan is decorated for the holiday.Matt Harrington for HomeGoods

"You know it’s Christmas when you come in my house, but you know it’s Christmas in a house with kids because we have a whole little kids' station with this little Advent calendar, as well as a little Santa mailbox," said Lachey. "Camden checks it daily to see if the letters are taken out, so I try daily to remember to take them out."

Vanessa Lachey HomeGoods
Behind Lachey, you can see the wooden advent calendar that she puts little treats in each day in December.Matt Harrington for HomeGoods

But the items in the Lachey's house act as are more than just decor, they're becoming tradition. Lachey says her kids love a little wooden Advent calendar as well as the large Santa in the entryway that holds a chalk board sign. Lachey says that every day she changes the messages on Santa's sign, as well as the treats inside the Advent calendar.

Vanessa Lachey HomeGoods Christmas
"Not only do you come into my home and have an entryway that's decorated," said Lachey. "Our living room's decorated, our kitchen, our family room, and there's a little tree in all the kids' bedrooms."Matt Harrington for HomeGoods

"We have an Advent calendar cause it really helps the kids understand the countdown," said Lachey. "It’s a cool concept and tradition that we’ve had that I also think kind of teaches them patience."

Vanessa Lachey HomeGoods Christmas Decor
"I got a sleigh that the kids can actually sit in and I can use it when we have holiday party for like hostess gifts," said Lachey. "We just did our Christmas cards and the kids all go in the sleigh with Wookie."Matt Harrington for HomeGoods

During the past two years, Santa hasn't been the only one in the Lachey household receiving letters — the kids write to Nick while he's out on tour as well.

"We Skype with him, but we also write him letters and cards," said Lachey. "Camden’s now 6, so he’s really big into phonetics and sounding words out and making pop-up cards, believe it or not."

Vanessa Lachey HomeGoods Christmas decor
"Christmas morning I do, I don't want to say my famous breakfast casserole, but it's famous to us," said Lachey. "I've been doing it since Nick and I have been together for 12 years now."Matt Harrington for HomeGoods

And while the letters are comforting, Lachey says that Nick's favorite thing is getting to come home to his family and a home that's perfectly ready for Christmas.

"For us, not to sound cheesy and cliché, but decorating really just embodies the whole spirit of the season," said Lachey. "Nick's like, 'I love coming home, but I especially love coming home during the holidays.'"