Family Holiday Tradition
Christmas is more than just opening a pile of well-wrapped presents under the tree, but the holiday season can sneak up on the well-prepared parents. Those few weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s really do pass by in one big, festive blur.
Looking back on my family’s holiday traditions, I’m filled with a wishful blend of happiness and hazy remembrance. I can’t always remember every detail, but the impression of holidays and family Christmas traditions glide past, all accompanied by starry lights, fragrant evergreen needles, and the constancy of cinnamon in the kitchen.
December is full of these kinds of family traditions. They’re part of what makes this month so special. Rituals and traditions are important. They don’t just mark the time of year; they help form a strong and unique family bond. And while family traditions take a bit of planning, they’re so worth it. This holiday season, make new memories and start a few fresh family traditions that you’ll look forward to year after year. Here are five reasons families should make and keep traditions:
• Bake Holiday Cookies
Baking cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve is a tradition many families hold dear, but cookies are perfect anytime during the holidays. Bake cookies for friends and family and store them in decorative tins—they are tasty gifts to send home with guests and holiday visitors. Make it a family affair, and enlist the kids’ help with baking and decorating gingerbread cookies.
• Decorate your House with a Stunning Centerpiece
Create a formal and elegant Christmas centerpiece with romantic red roses surrounded by white tallow berries displayed silver vases made to resemble birch bark. You can choose metallic silver vases because they reflect the warm, glowing light from candles, the rich reds from flowers, and the patterns on table settings in an elegant, prismatic way. Add texture and dimension by tucking pieces of boxwood garland and sprigs of berries around the base of the vases. Arrange metallic votive around the centerpiece to add romantic lighting to the room. When serving a holiday meal, steer clear from candles with strong scents and let the savory aromas of your meal take the stage.
• Give the Gift of Love
A great gift is lovely—but a great note where you share all the reasons why you love someone is priceless. Take a few minutes to jot down what makes the special people in your life so special. You’ll be glad you did.
• Plan a Surprise Event
Experiences make magical memories, so add a few in this year beyond the requisite visit to Santa. Spring for tickets to a local production of the Nutcracker or another seasonal favorite, organize an ice-skating get-together or take the kids on a tour of your town’s holiday decorations.
• Send a Holiday Card
Create a holiday card to share with friends and family. They will love catching up and seeing a photograph of your smiling faces. Save an extra card, and start a holiday card scrapbook. Update it each year—it guarantees that you’ll love revisiting your family’s cards later.
Summary
The holiday season is already the most wonderful time of the year—but you can make it even more magical by adding a little something extra to surprise and delight your favorite people.
What special holiday traditions does your family have or what new traditions would you like to start this year?