Christmas-time is here, which means it is time to break out the tree, bake some cookies, and start doing your family traditions. Traditions are activities or behaviors that have been practiced over time that reflect a family’s interests, beliefs, and values. Spending time with your family is one of the most important ways to connect and build a foundation together. Often, families will implement different activities into their routines that give them a reason to get together and have some fun. These activities frequently become well-loved family traditions.
Fun Family Traditions
Once a tradition has been put into practice, the hope is that it will continue through the generations. However, sometimes it can be exciting to start new traditions. Through honoring old traditions and creating new ones, individuals can learn a lot about their heritage and their families. Continue reading to learn about several different family traditions that you can implement in your household today.
Holiday Celebrations
A way that many families create foundational memories is by celebrating holidays together and having specific traditions for holidays. This may include spending meals and time decorating together. Trading gifts, baking and delivering treats, and going to see Christmas lights are common traditions for those that celebrate Christmas. There could also be special celebrations for birthdays or on wedding days. Many families enjoy parties, gift exchanges, making food, and other types of celebrations for holidays.
Go Camping As A Family Every Summer
Summertime provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with family and make memories. The 1998 film “The Parent Trap” displays an example of a wonderful family tradition gone haywire when the twin girls send their evil stepmother’s inflatable mattress out onto a lake during a family camping trip– with her on it!
Despite the hijinks that go on in this movie, there is certainly a lot of love between the different family members. Fostering love between family members is extremely important for strengthening your family bond. Going on a yearly camping trip with your family, hiking the same hike once a year, or going for monthly family drives are all excellent ways to create traditions with your family.
Have Family Dinners
Some families have dinners together every night. Other families have them one Sunday a month. Still, other families only have dinner together at Thanksgiving and Christmas. One of the best ways to create memories is to have a tradition of eating together frequently. You can have family dinners with your immediate family or with extended family or both.
Game/Movie Nights
Another common family tradition that fosters community and positive attachments within families is the classic movie or game night. Spending time together is crucial for families to make memories and strengthen bonds. Game nights provide a way to play and have fun together while frequent movie nights provide a way to find common interests and enjoy one another’s company.
Strengthen Your Family With Genealogical Research
If you are looking for more ways to help involve your family in history and create memories together, consider studying your shared genealogy. Genealogy is the study of family history. Through family traditions, you can learn a lot about your family’s history and become more involved. We at Heritage Consulting offer excellent genealogy services that will help you better connect with your ancestors and understand their traditions. For more information, reach out to us today.
To learn more about other common family traditions, read here.