How to Create Traditions That Last
I can still taste my Grandmother’s perfectly flaky pie crust. There is no one that can come close to making one similar, and believe me I try every year. For my family, traditions center around recipes, providing a foundation of comfort and familiarity no matter where we find ourselves year to year.
When I became a parent, I knew I wanted to create traditions for my family that were built upon the traditions from both sides of family. Over the years, the following traditions sew a thread of connection to generations past.
As you read, I hope you are reminded of the legacy of traditions that exist in your own family, and are inspired to consider something new this year.
keys to remember
The key to creating traditions that last is … (drum roll) … consistency. Remember that involved Pinterest crafts are fun, fancy recipes are amazing, but the traditions that last are the ones that you actually do year to year. Start small, keep it simple but meaningful, and savor the moments.
You can always start new traditions and alter existing ones. There is nothing wrong with change. For example, every Christmas morning we have homemade Cinnamon Rolls. I don’t make them homemade any other time of year except on Christmas. Sometimes I make them from scratch. Sometimes I use a Hot Rolls box as the base, and the past couple of years I have simply made them using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. Guess what? The tradition stands even though it’s altered. Enjoy the freedom.
Stop comparing. Well, we could say that for anything couldn’t we? Traditions are for your family, not someone else’s. You know your husband, your schedule, and your children better than anyone. You know what brings joy, and what only adds pressure. If you are doing traditions simply to have something to show for it all, you may find that you lack joy in the process. You be you at the holidays, and well, always. Please know my aim in this post is not for you to compare, but for you to be inspired and encouraged.
Start now. Traditions don’t start once you are married, once you have kids, or once you have a house. Start now where you are, and delight in getting to share them in the future. If I had waited until I had a house, or a larger tree to start some of my favorite traditions, I would have waited almost 20 years!
What are things you treasure? The answer to this question is a great place to start when establishing traditions that last. Your values inform what you treasure, what you spend your time on, and what you will put effort into going forward. Don’t try to do everything. Focus on what is most important to you, and run with it!
traditions at christmastime
Ornaments: Christmastime is the perfect setting for traditions. As we unwrap each ornament, our memories reflect on trips taken, the children during their younger years, or specific milestones. From the time we got married, my husband and I pick up a new ornament for our tree on every vacation. Over the years, it is delightful to remember the places we have been and the adventures taken, but it also reminds me that it is worth it to get away and make time for rest.
I look forward to when I can share our ornaments with each of our children when they start their own trees. I know some friends that only love beautiful ornaments that match their theme for the year. Either way, don’t forget that ornaments play a fun role in Christmas traditions.
Advent Readings: This is something that has been a newer tradition for the Sullivan family. Growing up in non-denominational churches, lighting a candle and observing the liturgical church calendar was not familiar to me. If you are interested in learning more about Advent, I invite you to READ THIS POST, and to see some of my favorite resources and books for the Advent season. If you are just starting out, and want something to read with your children, I always recommend the Jesus Storybook Bible Christmas Collection and Ann Voskamp’s, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift. Their words are truth-filled, simple and beautiful, and it will most assuredly bring you to tears. Also, THIS FELT CALENDAR is a great way for the littles to be involved in unwrapping the full Christmas story, and placing the characters each day onto the hanging board.
Santa: OK, let the controversy begin. I grew up with Santa, and enjoyed every minute of the magic and mystery. My husband, however, prefers not to play up Santa with our children. It has been an area of discussion and we have found compromise over the years.
So while our children know that Santa is in fact, not all-knowing, omnipresent, and the ultimate judge on good and evil, we still do one unwrapped ‘Santa’ gift on Christmas morning. We want them to see only One who holds these attributes. Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas, but there is still fun in having a “Santa present” unwrapped by their stockings. It ties in our family traditions, and creates a sense of expectation every December 25th.
Gifts: We have tried various things each year, but have landed on the popular idea to limit gifts for each child to: 1. something to wear 2. something to play with 3. something to read and 4. something from their wish list. It has worked well to keep us focused, disciplined, and equitable. One year we labeled their gifts with a different Avenger character’s name, so that they didn’t know which ones are for them until Christmas morning. Whatever you do - keep the fun.
Jesus’ Birthday Cake: Something I started when my babies were younger was to make a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve and sing Happy Birthday to him. They didn’t understand what the Christmas Eve service was all about back then, but they DID understand birthday parties. So, this tradition started and remains long after their toddler years. I use a box cake mix complete with candles to blow out, and we all look forward to a simple way of remembering the miracle of God coming to earth to dwell with his people face to face.
Christmas Books: Oh, how we love our books! These books get put away for the remainder of the year, and are pulled out every December. Watching the joy on my children’s and teen’s faces each year when they pull out their ‘favorite’ Christmas books never gets old. There are SO many we love and too many to list here, so let me point you over to Read-Aloud Revival for a list of Christmas books and audible books for the whole family. Each year we make one new purchase to add to our collection.
Another way we use Christmas books is to tie them into an activity we are doing. If we are decorating our tree, then we read a book about a Christmas tree. If we are baking cookies, then we may read a Scratch n Sniff book to ignite all of our senses. If we are decorating Gingerbread Houses (we use our Halloween candy), then we may read The Gingerbread Man. You get the picture. Have fun with it, and read as much as you can! This is one of my very favorite traditions.
Advent Calendars: An Advent calendar is a way to count down the days until Christmas. Plenty of people who don’t even celebrate Christmas love buying the varied versions available today. Little numbered windows hiding chocolate or Legos are a dime a dozen and we have done both to make the month of December special. This year, I decided to create my own “Advent-ure Calendar”. In my FREE DOWNLOAD: 25 DAYS OF ADVENTure, I share with you some of our family’s favorite activities to do during the Christmas season. Use this list as a starting place for your family. Tailor it, decide which days are best, and hang them up to be opened each day. It’s never too late to start. Use these ideas as a starting point!
25 Days of Joy
While the list of possibilities feels exhaustive, it doesn’t have to be exhausting. Choose the ones that are most life-giving for your family, and I pray you will be filled with joy along the way. Remember first and foremost, that because we use this time to pause and celebrate the miracle of Jesus, you don’t have to do one thing, and its meaning will never be lost.
Merry Christmas, friends.