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5 Amazing Holiday Traditions to Bring Back the Family Fun

Posted by Tim Levin, 12 Dec

Are you tired of going through the same old holiday traditions year after year? It’s that time of the year. A time when families unwind and bask in the awesomeness that the season brings. The Christmas season brings with it a certain cheer and excitement in the air for both the old and the young. What better way to enjoy its goodness, bond as a family and make lasting memories than creating amazing holiday traditions?

Read this article on Love is all colors and pump some fun into your holiday.

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Unique Christmas tradition ideas to start with your family

Family holiday traditions are certainly magical! Whether you believe it or not, Christmas traditions make this month special. They are worth every bit of planning put into it. In addition to giving everyone a sense of belonging, it gives everyone something to look forward to every year no matter the challenges they go through in their personal lives.

With these Christmas tradition ideas of some new Christmas traditions to start, you can infuse more holiday fun and spend quality time as a family.

Let us delve into some holiday traditions you can share with your family

1. Volunteering

While this may sound boring, volunteering is not. In fact, it is one of the best Christmas traditions you’ll ever practice. It is a way for families to give back to society. They can give their time, effort or money, making the world a little better. You never know how lonely people are until you give them the gift of your time. You should also think about some gifts for kids, women and cool gifts for guys. Make holiday volunteering as unique as it can be.

There are many ways to do this. You can connect with nonprofits like nursing homes, animal shelters, and so many others in your area and find out what they need. Help your children pick out their used clothes (that are still in great shape) and buy some more while doing your Christmas shopping.

Raise money for causes that are dear to your family. If you are cash constrained, you can offer to play Santa and bring some cheer to children in shelters and homes by donating your used toys and games. The idea behind volunteering as a family holiday tradition is the random acts of kindness the society can benefit from each member of the family. Still, it can teach your family empathy and instill lifelong values that they will not be so quick to forget.

2. Have an advent countdown calendar

This is one of our best Christmas Eve tradition ideas. Design events and activities around each day that will build excitement and anticipation. It could be a drive-around to see the Christmas lights, a scavenger hunt or something else that you and your kids will look forward to, with a reward attached to each activity.

You should pick a date in the month when the family gathers around for some reminiscing of the events that have happened within the year. Every milestone (the good, the bad and the downright embarrassing) achieved by every member of the family is penned down in a memory book and read out loud in a candlelit setting. This gives you an opportunity to get to know what has been happening in the lives of the people that you care about.

For me, the perfect day for a memory journal is on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, when we await the countdown of the dawn of Christmas day or the New Year. Of course, this comes accompanied with hot cocoa and cookies. At the end of the day, gifts are passed around and it becomes a night that you will hardly forget!

3. Take a holiday family photograph

We all know that a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Capture these moments that are so rare by taking a holiday photograph. This will become a great memory in the future when the youngsters have left the nest and you can look back at their progressions over the years.

Do not make the photo shoot all stiff and boring! Be goofy, creative, and crazy. More importantly, have fun while at it. The personalities of members of your family should shine through. You can display them around the house and use them for cards, especially for families that produce yearly holiday cards for families and friends.

Take different shots in different positions. Take some while decorating the tree or having a dinner party. Remember, you are not looking for the perfect picture, but one that showcases your family simply enjoying the pleasure of doing something together!

4. Have a movie marathon

Yaay!!! My personal favorite holiday tradition is the matching Christmas jammies’ party where every member of the family wears holiday PJs and selects a movie for everyone to watch. The movie marathon makes it to the list because it is already a holiday tradition for many, especially movie addicts.

Of course, we sometimes may yawn to the war movies selected by grandpa, scream at the horror movie selection from our brother and bawl our eyes out at the tragedy selected by our (evil) sister. For the romance movie lovers in the house, Hallmark has got Christmas covered with its selection of romance movies for the season. With a movie marathon, there is always something for everyone.

Plan early for the marathon by making it known to the family. This will help you ensure that the movies selected are made available before the marathon. Movie marathons can sure build memories that will last for a long time.

5. Cooking time can also be bonding time

With all the activities mapped out for the holiday season, food is the fuel that sustains the family. A lot of traditions revolve around cooking and eating. Cooking together creates an atmosphere of fun where family members can come together and exchange cooking skills and recipes in a fun way.

Have everyone play a part in helping out in the kitchen. The children should also be involved in this activity. So find a way to pull them from their toys, their video games, and presents. It does not have to be a complex meal. All it needs to be is something everyone can comfortably pitch in. The joy of holiday cooking is in the shared stories and laughter that is sure to follow… especially when someone screws up something. Plus, trying to find ways to fix up some of the mess is how people accidentally end up with “secret passed-down ingredients” to their food.

Let everyone be a chef for that day. Baking or cooking with kids does not mean that there must be a professional looking final product. You need to accept the fact that your kitchen is not going to be as neat as you’d want it to be. The memories are all there for you; in the amoebic-shaped cookie, the dough that makes its way to your daughter’s cheek and the batter that your toddler is using as hair cream. It all counts in the spirit of Christmas, no matter the mess.

Conclusion

The word that comes to mind when we mention tradition is continuity. Holiday traditions bind families together irrespective of distance. These are the good memories that your future will thank your present. The holiday tradition ideas suggested in this post are not to be followed to the latter. You can tweak them to suit your preferences and those of your loved ones.

Your special holiday tradition may be singing carols together, family dinner or doing arts and crafts with your children. Whichever you decide to do together as a family, always be consistent.

Thinking of making memories that last forever? Try these new Christmas traditions. Start a family holiday tradition today because every moment counts!

Here is a great article with tips on sharing holidays after breakup where mutual children are involved.