For most people the thought of Christmas brings thoughts of family. Whether you are part of a large, extended family or a single member, there are ways to have great family Christmas traditions and make them a part of your holiday celebration. This can be done whether you live in the same town as your family or have family members spread around the world. Just remember that Christmas is a time to renew and strengthen our most treasured bonds as families. But if you are unsure as to how to go about and establish some great family Christmas traditions, here are some ideas to help you getting started.
1.The number one thing people seem to want most at Christmas is to gather with their family members. If your family is all nearby, so much the better, but if you are alone (or with only immediate family) in the city you live in, try creating your “own family”. Families do not have to just be related by blood. Try inviting those who you feel are the nearest and dearest to you to spend the holiday with. You may be surprised with the distances between families that many of your friends have nowhere to go as well. Your own traditions that deal with gift giving or tree decorating can be decided on within your own family group. If you are lucky enough to join extended family members for Christmas try to include traditions that reflect your own personal family heritage. Don’t be shy about having grandparents talk about their Christmases with their grandchildren; it can be both educational and entertaining. Feel free to include food or decorations that reflect your personal heritage as well. Anything you do as a family will make your Christmas all the more special whether it is attending church together or just having an old-fashioned snowball fight!
2.The Christmas tree also seems to be the center of many family Christmas traditions. Feel free to create your own Christmas tree tradition that fits your family but some of the most creative ones are:
•Having Santa decorate the tree after everyone is asleep on Christmas Eve.
•Having a family trip to cut down the Christmas tree rather than just purchasing one from a tree lot.
•Purchasing a live Christmas tree and then planting it after Christmas.
•Purchasing an ornament for each child every year and then making the ornaments a gift when the child marries or leaves home.
3.Another way to involve your family in a great tradition is to do something different when gift giving. Here are some great family Christmas gift traditions:
•If you have a large family, consider drawing names for gift giving. This lessens both the financial burden of buying several gifts and allows the giver to be more creative when buying a gift for the recipient.
•Some families set up boundaries on the types of gift giving done between family members. One family reports that any Christmas gift they give to each other must fall under the following categories of: make it, bake it, sew it or grow it. It may be much harder to think of a gift but the gift giving becomes much more creative!
While Christmas is full of traditions don’t be afraid to start one that fits your family and your lifestyle. Feel free to think outside of the box and come up with your own unique traditions that will help your family celebrate Christmas in a way that is most meaningful to them. Most people report that the joy of the season is most focused when spent with the people they love the most-their family! Whether your family is large or small, extended or close by, long established or brand new, you can come up with your own great family Christmas traditions.