I shared last week about a tradition I started with my kids when my oldest was a baby. I dressed him in an adorable Christmas outfit, put him on Santa’s lap and had a photo taken. I repeated that through all their teenage years. As my children grew, the tradition took on its own character by evolving into whatever they were wearing and a dinner out. That is what I love about traditions… they can evolve to be specific for your family spirit.
Here are a couple of thoughts to help you get started with your own family traditions.
1️⃣ Like anything, trying to do too much at once gets overwhelming. Start with just a couple of ideas and try them on. You will know by the way your family reacts if this is a keeper or not.
2️⃣ Get your family involved in choosing some new traditions. Create a list of some traditions you would be interested in having and present them to your family for a vote. I have always found that when the family gets to help make decisions, they are more likely to be excited about following through with them.
3️⃣ Traditions need to be practiced consistently to take root. Some seasons of life will be easier to follow through with the tradition than others- therefore be mindful of how much effort and work you have to put towards it to make it happen. Sometimes simple is more manageable.
4️⃣ Be sure the tradition brings the family together. A tradition of everyone being on their cell phones after dinner is probably not going to build the family bond as you want it to.
5️⃣ Some of the best examples are centered around holidays, but traditions can be just as special other times of the year as well. Here are some examples to get you thinking:
🍕 Sunday Night Pizza and Movie
🍪 Bake cookies every full moon
☎️ Call a grand/parent every Sunday afternoon
🏖 Family vacation
🎁 Special birthday rituals
🎒 First day of school lunch date
You may have heard the phrase, “A family that prays together stays together.” There is nothing more intimate and bonding to share than prayer. While you create traditions for the holidays and other various times throughout the year, don’t forget to create a tradition of prayer.
Nothing pleases my heart more than to see my son lead my grandson through the Lord’s Prayer at Sunday meal. His 4-year-old little heart wants to worship and honor God in such a sacred way- just like he has watched the grown-ups do his entire life. Traditions are never meant to take the place of the importance of a personal relationship with God. They are simply intended to bind the family together.
Together we are building legacies,