Ideas For Family Traditions

Ideas for family traditions. Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. They distinguish your home from a hotel and your family from the one next door.

Traditions make your family special and are an integral part of family life. Think of them as your children's memories. 
When your child is grown and reflects on the family, the traditions are what she'll remember. Count on it. 

Here are a few ideas for family traditions to consider implementing this holiday season.

Ideas For Family Traditions - Host a Holiday Recipe Exchange

Instead of a holiday cookie exchange, invite friends to get together for a recipe exchange as a new family tradition for the holidays.

Set a theme: it could be fast meals for school nights. Holiday hors d'oeuvres. Holiday desserts. Then have a potluck party where everyone brings their favorite dish and copies of the recipe for all participants.

You go into the holidays (and the new year) armed with new menu ideas designed to make everyone's lives simpler and more delicious.

Ideas For Family Traditions: Create a Holiday Chore Tree

There's so much to do for the holidays that everyone needs to chip in. Here's a fun way of delegating tasks that doubles as a new tradition:

Set aside a small artificial tree with no ornaments. Assign each family member a color ornament and tasks to help prepare for the holidays. As he or she accomplishes each task, she can hang one of her ornaments on the tree.

The first person to hang all their bulbs wins a special gift, surprise, or outing—whatever is treasured in your family and is likely to be worth working a bit for, even for the youngest family members.

Ideas For Family Traditions: Have a Not-So-Silent Night

One night, I had some friends over to help decorate our tree. In the middle of decorating, we noticed two of our girls - about eight years old - curled up on the couch, listening to a Christmas story on the radio.

With that in mind, designate one night this holiday season as a story night as a new family tradition. Make some hot chocolate. Then, turn off the lights, sit by the fire, and read aloud, tell stories, or just talk.

Near virtual silence can indeed be golden, especially during the holiday season. 

Ideas For Family Traditions: Create Your Own Secret Charitable Santa

You can help the less fortunate at Christmas in all sorts of ways. But kids need a face. Why not choose a family in your neighborhood, figure out something nice to buy or do for them, and do it?

Leave it on the doorstep with an anonymous note. Kids love helping, and they love secrets. This new family tradition also helps reinforce the reason for the season.

Host a Christmas Craft Party

Early in the season, hold a craft party for your kids and their friends and families. Research three or four holiday crafts and gather all the materials. 

Parents and kids will come, enjoy a little brunch, and spend the afternoon making gifts for grandparents, teachers, etc. 
You can target the guest list toward a specific age group or provide craft ideas and supplies for various ages.

Note to Santa's helper: Smaller crafts will be better here.