Here’s a fun birthday tradition to create that I ran across in, 365 Ways To Help Your Children Grow, by Shelia Ellison and Barbara Ann Barnett. It’s called Sheet of Notes. What you do is buy a large white bed sheet that you will use as the tablecloth at a birthday party. Next, place a piece of plastic underneath it. Place permanent markers around the table and have guests write a personal note to the birthday person. Have them date their note and use the sheet each year on that person’s birthday.
This would be a great memento for your child to have as an adult. They can go back and read what family and friends had to say each year. Of course, if you have a large family and/or circle of friends, you might run out of writing space after the first few years. The good thing is the sheet can be folded and tucked away for safe keeping.
If you start this tradition for your younger kids, some modifications might be in order. The younger guests to the party may not be able to write personal notes so you may want to let them just write their name (if they can) or draw a picture. Or they may need to get help from an adult or older sibling.
Family traditions are a great way to create memories that last a lifetime. It is also a way to build bonds of shared experiences. Traditions don’t have to be grandiose. They can be as simple as having donuts on Sunday morning or going out for brunch on Sunday after church. In many families having Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner at a certain relative’s house is tradition. For many years it was tradition for my uncle, a barber, to give the first haircut to each male offspring in my family. If your family does not have a family tradition, why not start one today? The possibilities are endless.
See also:
Document Those Family Traditions and Recipes