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Starting Your Family's Holiday Traditions Page 2 |
More ideas for starting your own Family Holiday Traditions |
Caroling is a great family tradition. Besides getting out and seeing friends and neighbors, nothing lifts the spirit like song. Whether you sing or not, a choir of friendly voices always sounds good. If you do have Pavoroti's in the family, check with your local hospital or nursing home about a visit from your family choir. There are plenty of non-religious holiday songs that would cheer and not 'offend' any shut-in. Rehearsal isn't a prerequisite but it helps you find a key to sing in. Be sure you have one person designated to start each song off on the right note. |
Rent a copy of your favorite holiday show from when you were a kid. The old animated kids' shows bring back a lot of lost memories. Santa Claus is Coming To Town, Frosty the Snowman and even How the Grinch Stole Christmas are some to consider. Serve hot chocolate and popcorn or holiday cookies - anything you loved as a kid. Make sure you put on your fuzzy slippers for this one. If It's a Wonderful Life is your favorite, go for it. Anything that triggers the warm-fuzzy feeling. Others to consider: Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas , and Miracle on 34th Street (whichever version you like). |
Pick a specific night for an early evening family drive to see holiday decorations around town. Make it the same night each year (say the last Sunday before Christmas) so everyone has a year's notice to plan their schedules around the evening. Assign someone to reconnoiter the town and plan the route ahead of time. If you have a very large family, make it a convoy! Just be sure to plan a stop in a local park for a 'Chinese Fire Drill' to switch around so everyone can chat at some point. Pack a thermos or two of hot chocolate, paper cups (or commuter cups), homemade treats and packaged wet towels. (You can wet face cloths, nuke them for a bit and pack them in reclosable plastic bags.) If there is a Christmas Eve gift exchange and little ones, this is a great time for 'Santa to come' as long as someone doesn't mind missing the fun. |
Set aside a small 'Charlie Brown Tree' in the family room or on the dining room table as a reminder that you are more fortunate than others. String popcorn and cranberries for the decorations. Keep it sparse. Have every family member bring canned goods with ribbons or bows to place under the tree. Be sure they get donated to a food bank in time for New Year's Day dinner. |
For those of you who will remain separated by distance over the holidays. Schedule a family chat on the net. There are many sites that allow you to create your own rooms. If necessary, have family members without computers (maybe great-grandma) ask a neighbor to let them use their computer for the chat. There are even several chat rooms that use voice input for the non-typists. Schedule your family chat way ahead of time and adjust it so everyone can participate. |
There are probably dozens of other wonderful traditions out there but these should get your family started on feeling the season's love. Anyone who is willing to share their family traditions, please email me, use the message board or sign my guest book and tell me about your memory makers. I'll add them to my site and credit the contributors or keep you anonymous if you choose. |
