Christmas is the best time of year to start long lasting family traditions. Starting your own family Christmas tradition doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s about doing what works for your family and the things that really mean a lot to you and your children.
It is not unusual for new and young families to want to start their own Christmas family traditions with their children. Particularly for those families living far away from their families, observing Christmas traditions can help them rediscover the meaning of Christmas and really get into the spirit of the season.
Here are some ideas for Christmas traditions that you can observe with your children:
- Give presents. A popular tradition during Christmas is the giving of gifts. There are many creative ways to personalize this tradition for your family. You can have Christmas wish lists, Christmas stockings, or secret Santa Claus.
- Christmas trees and special tree decorations. A great way to commemorate the Christmas past is through special tree decorations. You can have special decorations for your tree every Christmas and enjoy your collection while your family spends more Christmas together.
- Christmas family vacation. If you have the budget for it, spending Christmas with your family on vacation is a great way to spend quality time with your family.
- Special Christmas dinner. Preparing a special dinner for the family during Christmas is a tradition that many families observe. Make it even more special by creating a menu that you only prepare for Christmas and involve your children in the preparation.
- Christmas service. Attending Christmas church service as a family is a great way to commemorate the spiritual aspect of the Christmas season. It’s a good way to counter the commercialism and consumerism of the holidays.
- Christmas portrait. Dressing up and taking a family portrait around Christmas is a fun way to document how your family has grown over the years. Once you have your portrait, you can turn the photo into greeting cards that you can send to family members. It’s a great way to keep in touch.
- Give back to the less fortunate. Christmas is the time to share our blessings with our less fortunate neighbors. Why not make it a tradition to set aside time to volunteer at a soup kitchen or maybe throw a party for the kids at the community orphanage? Your children will learn a valuable lesson in sharing and can have a meaningful Christmas together as a family.