The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is almost a magical time of year. There are sales and shopping rushes; people give gifts and everyone seems a little nicer. Some people have traditions specific to their holiday or religion, but there are other traditions that anyone can enjoy. Here are some traditions that are great for everyone and perfect for a family just starting out.
Taking Holiday Pictures
Find a location to take a picture. Make sure that it’s a location that the family is sure to visit every year if possible. (The front steps of the family home work well.) Every year, gather the family and pose in the picture location. If everyone stands in the same place every year and the picture is taken in the same location it creates a wonderful family history in picture form. These pictures can easily become a family heirloom. They can also only be displayed during the holiday season to add to their charm.
A Holiday Collection Tradition
Find something to collect. It can be seasonal, holiday themed, or just a little something fun. Every year, buy one more item to add to the collection and display them all. One possibility is a little winter village, with a new building or landmark added every year. Keep a list of what was bought each year. Guests visiting for the holidays can see how the collection has grown and how long it’s been kept.
Another collection could be leaves. Every fall, find a single perfect leaf, preserve it and frame it. Going out and finding the perfect thing to add to the collection is a great family activity. Setting it up with the whole family officially starts the season.
Holiday Cooking Traditions
There are foods most people associate with holidays, like turkey with mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, latkas for Hanukkah, ham for Christmas. A great family thing to do is to come up with a unique dish to make every year for the holidays. Pick a dish most people wouldn’t associate with that holiday or even a dish most people don’t make. The family can reserve this dish only for the holiday season and never make it at any other time.
Having a unique family dish sets the holidays apart for that family and even allows them to expand it. When a child who grew up enjoying rice and beans for Christmas breakfast gets married she can pass on the tradition to her children. Making a unique dish together every year can bring the family together and help them get into the spirit of the season.
Watch a Holiday Movie
Every year the family can ring in the season by watching the same movie together. This can be an old home movie marathon, or a Christmas or Thanksgiving-themed movie. Or it can be a collection of films that the family wouldn’t normally gather to watch, like all three Godfather movies.
This makes a great tradition when the family has to be split up for the holidays. A kid alone in his dorm can find comfort knowing that he’s watching the same movie as his family.
This also opens the door for other traditions. A family can watch Scrooged or It's a Wonderful Life every Christmas Eve in their pajamas or they can always eat spaghetti and watch The Godfather in December. Doing the same thing each year can draw the family closer and help them enjoy the season.
Traditions for the Whole Family
These are just a few ways that a family, no matter what they celebrate, can come up with their own traditions during the holiday season. These traditions will bring the family closer and add a touch of their own taste and style to a tradition steeped time of year.
HOL101
Katie Ouderkirk - Katie Ouderkirk started working at a barn when she was ten. As the years went on she worked at a number of different barns, two zoos, and ...
Join the Conversation