Traditions are one of the most incredible gifts a family can have.
Traditions cultivate a deeper connection with our family, and bring meaning to the season we are in. Slowing down, simplifying, and being present together.
They create family memories, and give us stories to share, for years to come. They connect past and future generations, long after we are gone.
Traditions bring intention to our homes, and leave a legacy.
They tell the unique story of our family, that no one else can tell. We may not get to meet our great great grandchildren, but something we choose to do this season, may be something they do years down the road, because we chose to be intentional, and leave a story behind.
Traditions are meant to bring joy. They are meant to be looked at as a way to connect our family, and the season we are in, not something strict that we have to do, simply because it is what we do.
When we look deep within our family culture, we can find ways to bring those moments in to the season, even if they don’t look exactly the same year after year (because our life does not look the same year after year). We have seasons in our lives, and we need to savor the beauty of each one we are in.
Dig deep in to your family culture. What traditions can you bring to those words you would use to describe your family culture? What will be life giving to your home and family? What will allow you to savor the season? It does not need to be a lot of traditions, find the simple ones that bring meaning to your holiday.
Our family does a simple & intentional holiday advent (hygge holiday) through the season, where we do simple activities together, allowing more time with one another, connecting more deeply, and allowing us to focus more on Jesus. You can read about it here
A good tip to remember: the more senses you bring in to your moment, the more memorable it will be. Something like always listening to the same Christmas album while decorating the tree, or always having hot cocoa while you bake Christmas treats, can make memories more vivid through the years.
Hold expectations loosely and remember that your time together, and joy are far more important than trying to create a perfect moment, or having to do things exact every single time. Have FUN together, and most of all, remember what is most important to your home and family for the season. Keep the focus on what matters most.
Here are some ideas for traditions to spark inspiration:
- Church candlelight service
- Read the story of Christmas together
- Have a birthday party for Jesus (we do this in our front yard/driveway so that all neighbors can stop by and celebrate with us)
- Read a certain book on Christmas Eve before bed (same one each year)
- New pajamas on Christmas Eve
- Bake Jesus a birthday cake on Christmas Eve (sing happy birthday to him when opening presents on Christmas morning)
- Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning (or whatever food you always want to eat each year)
- Same meal/type of food (ex: Mexican food or Italian food) every Christmas Eve
- Have a certain signal for kids to wait for, to be able to come out of their room on Christmas morning (example: we were not allowed to come out of our bedroom on Christmas morning, until we heard the bell ring)
- Pick out a family ornament each year
- Make a family ornament each year
- Choose a random night to surprise your children with new pajamas when they are heading to bed, and then get in the car to look at Christmas lights instead (add hot cocoa for even more fun)
- Get a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving (or same day each year)
- Decorate for Christmas on a certain day each year
- Listen to the same Christmas album each year when you decorate
- Watch the same Christmas movie each year on Thanksgiving night to officially start the Christmas season
- All siblings (or cousins) sleep together in the same room on Christmas Eve
- Go to a local tree lighting each year
- Pickle ornament on Christmas tree (google it, if you do not know what it is)
- Advent idea: simple family activities each day
- Advent idea: Christmas books (unwrap a new book to read each day)
- Advent idea: Jesse tree
My mama is pure magic when it comes to traditions! I grew up thinking all homes were this magical, and full of traditions! I now realize it was a gift that most do not have. I need to share some of them with you! A HUGE thank you to my mama for the gift of cultivating traditions in our home!
Here are some of the traditions that are special to my family from my childhood:
1. CHRISTMAS CODE:
Each year my mama would have a code for our Christmas gifts (usually a phrase that she chose). Our gifts would not have names on them, but instead a random word or letter, that was part of the phrase.
For example the phrase would be something like:
“Jesus was born today” and each person in the family would have a letter or word from the phrase….
but…
We would not know what the phrase was, or which letter belonged to who. We would just see gifts with letters or words on them, and have to write them all down, and try to put them together to figure out the phrase. From there we would need figure out who had what letter/word from the phrase.
We would not know which gifts were ours or what the code/phrase was, until Christmas morning, because we never figured it out.
We would spend all month trying to figure out the code, and what gifts were ours.
2. JESUS’ BIRTHDAY CAKE:
A cake would be wrapped with the gifts under a random person’s code. We never knew who had the cake, or when it would be opened. The moment it was opened we would stop everything we were doing, light candles, and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
3. FIRST ORNAMENT ON THE TREE:
The first ornament on the tree each year is always the same one. It is an ornament for my brother who passed away.
4. CHRISTMAS BELL:
We were not allowed to come out of our room on Christmas morning until we heard the bell ring. My sisters and I would sleep in the same room on Christmas Eve, and each morning on Christmas, we would wake up excited and wait with anticipation for the bell to ring. We would put our ear up to the door and listen for the bell to ring and then come running out, the moment we heard it.
5. CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT:
We would always get to open one gift on Christmas Eve, and it was always brand new pajamas.
6. READ TOGETHER:
Every year my mama would read us the book: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
Friend, let this season bring you closer to loved ones and to Christ. Let’s slow down and cultivate intention, as we focus on advent, waiting with anticipation to celebrate the baby who came to rescue the world.
Know what is important to your home. Say no to the things that overwhelm you or take away from your family culture, and say yes more to what is important to your family. Hold your expectations loosely, and your family close.
