Some of us become parents with a long list of family Christmas traditons we want to pass along to our children. Others of us get to start pretty much from scratch as our families did not have many Christmas traditions. For most of us, we are somewhere in the middle. Starting Christmas traditions for your family can be a lot of fun. A tradition does not need to be elaborate, it can be something very simple that you all enjoy together.
A good family Christmas tradition contains these three key elements:
* It is fun or at least enjoyable for everyone.
* It is something you can do each year with only minor variations.
* It is something that helps you and your family to feel closer together.
You can get ideas for annual holiday activities from many places. One fun place to look for ideas is the country or countries where your ancestors came from. If your ancestors came from Sweden, for instance, you may find that baking traditional Swedish cookies becomes something your whole family looks forward to all year. If your ancestors are from Ireland, you might learn traditional Irish music. What if your ancestors are from a country where Christmas was not celebrated much? Look for ways to incorporate the festivities of that place into new traditions for your family. A Chinese family might designate a day during the holiday season when they could all cook regional Chinese dishes together.
Of course, you can find many ideas online and in books. Once you find an idea you like, you can make it your own and adapt it to your family. Keep it lighthearted and fun and focus on the enjoyment of family. Some families I have known have made it an annual event to drop off fruit baskets to elderly neighbors. Others insist that at least one gift for each family member must be handmade by someone else in the family.
All of these plans give your children something to look forward to each year. Make sure to take plenty of pictures so you can remember these moments from year to year. If an event becomes a disaster, take twice as many pictures. Your kids will love to pull out the pictures of Dad’s boiled over soup or Mom’s burnt homemade bread each year to laugh about the calamity. The time together and shared memories are what creates a stronger bond, so don’t get hung up on perfection or overscheduling. Just pick a few things that are simple and fun. One excellent tradition might be that one day during the holiday season is simply family day. No parties, no big deals, just the family and a simple activity like making cards or watching a movie.
