When my kids were little, we embraced the magic of Santa Claus. Christmas morning meant lots of presents to unwrap, some from mom and dad, and plenty from Santa. Still, we valued giving our kids experiences, as well. When grandparents and other relatives asked for holiday gift ideas for our kids, we'd always suggest things like a membership to our local zoo or movie theater gift certificates — gifts that would provide us with time together as a family instead of sending more stuff into our house.

I love shopping at Aldi and Trader Joe's for my family's groceries.

Both chains carry unique specialty items, and the holidays always bring seasonal items that everyone in my house looks forward to.

Recently, I went to Aldi and Trader Joe's to compare each grocery store's seasonal and holiday offerings. I was surprised by which of the two felt more festive in early/mid-November.