I am finding that whenever a holiday rolls around there are a lot of posts on social media from parents and caregivers asking for advice on traditions to start with their family. For me I love traditions for a few reasons;
1. It is a great way to encourage and remind yourself to engage in an activity that you may otherwise push aside and not devote time to. As parents and caregivers life can get very busy and you may not be able to, or feel able to find the time to engage in holiday themed activities. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
2. Having family traditions help create special memories that can last a lifetime. Lily still talks about things that we did with her last Christmas and it brings my heart so much joy knowing she remembers special time spent together as a family. 3. A tradition can honestly be anything! In my opinion there is no definition. You can make it your own and there are no rules which I love! So today, I wanted to share some of our favourite Christmas Traditions in hopes that it may inspire you to join in on the fun. But remember, there is no pressure! You can make any tradition your own, as big or small as your heart desires. What matters most is that you are having fun, enjoying the holiday season and making memories with your family that will last a lifetime.
Attend a Santa Claus Parade - There are so many different Santa Claus parades, from big ones to smaller community ones. We personally enjoy going to the smaller one in our community as this is a tradition that we've kept alive since I was a kid. It is pretty special to take my children to the same parade that use to bring a twinkle in my eyes. I recommend checking the schedules ahead of time and putting them into your calendar so you don't forget the dates.
Write a Letter to Santa - This one is easy! Every kiddo writes a letter to Santa with their special Christmas wish(es). If you want some added fun, make sure to address your letter to the jolly man himself and you will get a special reply back from him! I always thought it was so magical getting a letter from Santa in the Mail.
Santa Claus. North Pole. H0H 0H0 (no postage needed, just make sure you put your return address on the envelope!)
Advent Calendars - What I love about advent calendars is there are so many different ways you can do them so it's easier to fit this tradition into your lifestyle. For Lily's first Christmas I went all out and planned a family activity each day leading up to Christmas. Now, I just don't have the time or energy for that so I went with the traditional chocolate calendar. There are a lot of different toy advent calendars you can purchase as well based on your child's interest. It is totally up to you how big or small you go!
Sprinkle Reindeer Dust on your Lawn - I started this tradition with Lily on her first Christmas. Each Christmas Even before we head out to our family festivities we sprinkle reindeer dust (sprinkles in a cute bottle) on our lawn so the reindeer can see where they are going. Lily had so much fun doing this last year and again it is something quick and easy. We purchased an ornament from Merry Tree Farms that we use for our reindeer dust but you could just get a container of glitter from the dollar store and use that.
Key for Santa on the Front Door - My mom passed down my Santa key from when I was kid. Growing up we didn't have a fireplace so we would place the magic key on the door for Santa to use on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Even Box/Pajamas - Since I was a kid every Christmas we got new pajamas on Christmas Eve. I've had fun matching with my kiddos each Christmas and continuing on this tradition. We have a special Christmas Eve Box that during the month of December I use to hold all our Christmas themed toys and activities. But come Christmas Eve, I sneak the pajamas inside of it. I have seen other people make a box and put pajamas, popcorn and a special book or movie inside. This is another tradition that you can truly make your own in so many ways.
Christmas Baking - Who doesn't love the smell of fresh baked cookies in the house! My favourite is gingersnaps and I usually do my Christmas baking with my mom and the kids. We have so much fun decorating cookies and making some of our favourites. I usually do my Christmas baking closer to Christmas and then we have cookies for Santa for Christmas Eve as well!
Elf on the Shelf - You either love it or hate it. I love it, but it is a lot of work. And that is why I prepare for him in advance so that I don't feel like I am scrambling each month. This year I wrote a blog with some ideas
to check it out. If you aren't up for the Elf on the Shelf there is no shame in your game! It is exhausting and probably the last thing you want to do at the end of the night.
Decorate a Christmas Tree and/or Christmas Village - We do both in our house and both activities are done as a family. While this may just seem like a normal Christmas activity, in my opinion it is a tradition. It is a great way to get the whole family involved in the fun. We even take the kids to my parents house to help decorate their tree and do the Christmas village every year.
Check out local Christmas Light Displays - This is one of my favourites. Throughout the month of December whenever we drive home later in evening I make sure to take a scenic route and check out the lights in our community. We also usually go to the Simcoe Light Panorama each year which is absolutely beautiful! Other light displays that are pretty spectacular are in Niagara Falls & Burlington at Spencer Smith Park.
Now its your turn to share. Let me know in the comments below what your favourite family traditions are!