Holiday Traditions to Start with Your Family

Whether you have one family tradition or more than you can count in a year, you can always use one more!

Out of all the seasons in the year, the best time to start a family tradition is around the holidays! Traditions are a great event that can uplift the overall experience of a certain moment or period of time. Plus, who doesn’t love an excuse for meaningful family bonding time? A holiday tradition’s consistency is a certainty and looking back, you undoubtedly will have more than enough photos to reminisce about.

Here are some holiday traditions to start with your family! 

1. Plan a special dinner + dessert menu 

The holiday season is a perfect time to plan a special menu full of everyone’s favorite food and a few desserts too! Like Thanksgiving, think of meals that are special to your family in particular and invite the kids to prepare them with you. Don’t forget to indulge in a couple more sweet treats too if they’re beloved by the family as well! This way, not only will you have a holiday dinner to look forward to every year, it encourages everyone to participate and bond together. 

2. Host an ugly Christmas sweater contest 

If you’re going to host an ugly Christmas sweater contest, you might as well start from scratch and decorate one yourself. Opt for taking the kids to a nearby thrift store to find sweaters in both their size and yours before visiting a craft store to gather materials that give everyone in the family the chance to make the ugly sweater of their dreams. After coming home to decorate your sweaters, host an ugly Christmas sweater in the living room to see who had the ugliest sweater of them all. To reward the winner, think of a small incentive everyone would appreciate, such as their favorite dessert. 

3. Drive out to see holiday lights in a neighborhood 

Families go all out during the holidays with decorations, especially when it comes to their house lights. Research the best neighborhoods in your area that are known for their dazzling decorations, drive out to them, and take a stroll! To enhance the experience, bring a cup of hot chocolate with you to stay warm to get into the holiday cheer. If permitted, take advantage of the scenery to snap quality photos. Some neighborhoods specifically decorate their houses for the holidays so that families from all over can visit and take pictures. Even better if the decorations are dramatic and hilarious!

4. Partake in local winter events, such as ice skating or winter fair 

In winter, a lot of cozy events occur such as the opening of an ice skating rink in your neighborhood! This is the perfect excuse to teach the kids how to ice skate; there’s just something calming and fun about gliding through ice alongside other families looking to make meaningful memories too! On the other hand, winter fairs and festivals may open up during the holiday season alone or events can be hosted by organizations such as the San Diego Foster Parent Association. Check out the happenings in your area to see what special events are being hosted. You can look forward to a lot of entertainment, such as listening to carollers, watching holiday-specific plays, playing holiday carnival games, and more.

5. Have a holiday movie marathon 

If you prefer to avoid the crowds, host a holiday movie marathon in your home! Rewatch old favorites that everyone loves or find new holiday movies to experience together! The family can just huddle together on the couch with blankets, pillows, and snacks. Holiday movies are some of the most comforting films out there and serve to uplift everyone’s mood and prolong the magic of holiday cheer. 

6. Volunteer in your community 

Want to make an impact on the lives of others this holiday season? Volunteer in your community! Around this time of year, soup kitchens, food drives, and Riverside foster care agencies or local foster care agencies are busier than ever to help families and individuals of any age from all walks of life enjoy a delicious, warm meal or gain access to family prospective resources. We recommend Googling “private foster care agencies near me” if you wanted to specifically give back to foster care agencies! Show the kids that everyone can use a little help and their efforts, no matter how small, make a huge difference in the life of someone else. 

7. Craft ornaments and decorate your Christmas tree

Do your kids have an affinity for art or simply love to create things? Craft ornaments together and hang them on the Christmas tree! After every year, you add to a collection of handmade ornaments that can be appreciated and passed down. To make the experience extra special, you can brainstorm themes of ornaments to create every year! Small crafts like these may not seem like much at the moment, but they will become one of the most precious items that are reminders of the laughs shared while making them. 

8. Participate in a winter sport 

Last on the list is participating in a winter sport, such as snowboarding or skiing. Since snow only comes around once a year, you can make a vacation out of driving up to visit it! Being extra active during the holiday season is also a great way to get much-needed exercise in the midst of visiting many other loved ones or eating all the delicious holiday food.