Creating New Holiday Traditions This Season

Whew, what a year! 2020 has been the year that no one saw coming. What started off as a year full of ambitions and hopes and dreams, turned into a year of doing what we could to stay sane and healthy with little focus on anything else. As the Christmas season picks up and with The Rona still being a thing, it’s the perfect time to think about and actually create new family holiday traditions.

Christmas for us usually means big family get togethers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but we know that just can’t work this year. So instead, I’m focusing on how to create new traditions for my little family that we can all do together that will still make the season fill magical. If you’re looking for ideas too, I’ve got you covered.

Bake Holiday Cookies

This is such a tried and true holiday thing to do but there are literally endless types of cookies to bake! When The Rona first started, I got heavy into baking (like most folks did) that of course slowly stopped. But I love baking holiday cookies. There’s nothing like the smell of cookies baking in the oven. This is the perfect time to create a family tradition and even a favorite family cookie recipe!

Create a Gratitude Jar

It’s super important to me that Stokely understand that he’s extremely blessed. He pretty much has every toy he wants and of course, always has a full belly and clean clothes. Our annual tradition is to go through his toys and put those he no longer plays with aside to donation. I’m teaching him that some children don’t get to have as many toys and games as he does. As he gets older, I plan on starting a gratitude jar. We’ll decorate a new one every Christmas and then, during the next year, fill it with slips of paper of things that we are grateful for. During the holiday season, we’ll read a couple of slips each day, to remind us, that despite the hardships and ups and downs of the year, we always have something to be grateful for.

Celebrate with Christmas Breakfast

I’m definitely not the early-riser in my house, but I want to create a memory of cinnamon buns waking Stokely up on Christmas morning. We normally have Christmas breakfast with my husbands family, but this year, I’ll be cooking up something yummy for my own little family. Whether it’s cinnamon buns or store-bought doughnuts, a simple Christmas breakfast will create lasting memories.

Wear Matching Family PJs

This is something we already do in our family. I get ours made custom, but there are TONS of great options online. As much as my husband just isn’t into the “cutesy” stuff, I can get him to wear the matching pjs and I absolutely love it. We take a pic by the tree on Christmas morning and it’s a tradition I’ve come to cherish.

Creating new family holiday traditions doesn’t have to be a challenge. Think about what your family likes already and the feeling you want to create and then keep it simple!