When you are first married, you may find yourself pulled here and there juggling between two different families, but when your kids become a bit older, it is a good idea to carve out your own family traditions. There are a variety of things you can do over the holidays to create memories that will last forever.
Christmas caroling is one tradition that seems to have fallen out of style lately, but it is a great way to spread the holiday cheer. You can carol in your neighborhood, in your ward, or at a hospital or nursing home. You can choose religious songs, or traditional songs to sing or you may choose to mix it up.
You may decide to set aside Christmas Eve as a time when you gather together as a family to celebrate. If you have extended family in the area this is a great night for the extended family to do something. You may choose to have traveling dinner, with a course at each family’s home or to stay at one home and play games together as a family.
Another fun tradition is to have the same breakfast each year on Christmas morning. This can be a big elaborate brunch, a simple continental breakfast or a breakfast casserole that you pop into the oven while everyone opens his or her presents. One family I know of puts Poptarts and cold cereal into the stockings to eat for breakfast the next day.
You may choose to do a Twelve Days of Christmas service project for a family in your ward. This can be a lot of fun, as you sneak the gifts to the door each day. It can also really bring home the true meaning of Christmas.
Finally try to choose a tradition that can bring the focus back to Christ. This could be reenacting the Nativity, singing Christmas hymns, or reading the story of Christ birth sometime during the month. This will help keep the true meaning alive and well.
Related Articles:
Five Ways to Focus on the True Meaning for Christmas
Caring for Your Family During the Holidays