Family Traditions are an entertaining way to strengthen family relationships and create long lasting memories. If you are looking for family traditions to do with your family every year, here are ten fantastic ideas for family and / or holiday traditions. Enjoy!
Take a Tour of the Christmas Lights
Every Christmas Eve (or close to Christmas eve) drive around town and view everyone’s Christmas lights. This is especially enjoyable for younger children and is a great family tradition.
Watch Home Videos on Christmas Eve
Obviously, this one only works if you have old home videos to watch! It makes for a fun family tradition to go down memory lane together. If you can afford a video camera, I highly recommend starting this family tradition. It’s a fun but relaxing family activity. Perhaps pop popcorn, or eat Christmas cookies and/or drink hot chocolate as well.
Buy Christmas Gifts for a Needy Family or Child
This is a wonderful family tradition where the children learn about service. Many communities have programs where you adopt-a-child or family and purchase gifts. Perhaps each child can buy (or select a gift to buy) for a child their age. The kids will enjoy getting to “shop” for another kid’s Christmas.
Fill Christmas Shoeboxes for Children in Other Countries
This is a super family tradition to consider as well. It needs to be done early though, sometimes in October. There are several types of shoebox Christmas programs. One to think about is Samaritan’s Purse. Here is the link: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC.
Buy New Pajamas for Everyone in the Family for Christmas Eve
If you can afford it, get new pajamas for everyone for Christmas every year. (Perhaps this is the only time each year that you buy pajamas.) This is probably more fun for families of mostly girls, as older teen boys could probably care less about pajamas!
Have Waffles for Breakfast
Every year at Christmas, have waffles, or another fun breakfast food. This tradition might be hard to maintain, however, if you visit other families or travel at Christmas.
Go Christmas Caroling Together
If everyone is musical, or even if they aren’t, this is a fun activity. It’s a little cheesy, but hey, it will create memories. I recommend going to to friends’ and family home and surprise them by singing Christmas carols when they answer.
Play a Board Game on Christmas Eve
Enjoy family time together on Christmas Eve and play a board game. I recommend Monoply, Scattegories, or Beyond Balderdash. It will definitely create fun memories.
Make Homemade Christmas Ornaments Together
This is another great family activity that will leave you with a nice memento to cherish. Visit a craft store and buy ornaments (along with paint and glitter) to decorate. When the kids reach college age, there will be a nice little collection of ornaments! You could also visit a paint-your-own-pottery business. Google “paint your own pottery” and your city’s name for the nearest location. You could paint them there and avoid the mess at home.
Watch a Christmas Movie Together on Christmas Eve
This one is easy and entertaining. Every year on Christmas eve, the family watches a Christmas movie together. I personally recommend “The Christmas Story” where the little boy wants a bb gun for Christmas. Another funny one to watch is “The Santa Clause.”
Stuff Stockings
This is probably best for older kids and teens. Every year, have other family members stuff the stockings of the other kids and parents as well. Mom or Dad will have to take the kids to Wal-Mart or another store to find stocking stuffers. Obviously this is best after the kids know that Santa is in the heart of everyone. It’s a wonderful tradition. Perhaps when the kids get older they can try to “out-do” everyone by purchasing gag gifts online, etc.
Bake Cookies Together Every Year
Another tradition is to bake cookies together, and give them as gifts. It will be fun for kids of all ages!
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
