Ann Malmberg with Prepare/Enrich offers these holiday gems.
The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute you’re taking down the decorations and putting them in storage, and the next you’re taking them out all over again. Sometimes it feels like it’s hard to get ahead of it, especially if you had big intentions of incorporating some different things into your celebrations this year. Whether it’s trying new activities or switching things up from the usual traditions, you’ll want to start thinking about these things ahead of time, instead of waiting until the last minute.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up four types of traditions to start this holiday season.
1. The Giving Back Tradition
Donating your time, volunteering, pitching in – whatever you want to call it – is not only great at an individual level, it’s also a meaningful experience you can share with your spouse or family. Beyond the obvious benefit of doing something good for others, it also strengthens your bond, reinforces your shared values, and helps you recenter on the things that truly matter. Plus it’s an invaluable, hands-on way to model generosity for your children if you have them. So whether you volunteer at church holiday events, have the kids choose gifts to donate to those in need, or organize a neighborhood food drive, making it an annual or seasonal occurrence is a great way to incorporate generosity into your lives while also helping you feel close and connected.
2. The “Just for Us” Tradition
This time of year usually brings more social opportunities and commitments than usual. Work holiday parties, neighborhood gatherings, school events, family get-togethers, celebrations with various groups of friends, the list goes on. It’s not unusual to feel like your marriage gets pushed to the back burner, but that doesn’t mean it should. Consider how you might start a new holiday tradition that’s just for you as a couple – or how you can incorporate your existing relationship rituals into your celebrations. Maybe you set aside one day each year for a date and holiday shopping, decide to swap material gifts for a special experience, or incorporate gratitude into your daily devotions. Whatever this looks like for you, a “just for us” tradition is a great way to to make sure your connection stays strong during such a hectic time.
3. The “Present over Presents” Tradition
For some families, gifts are a significant part of holiday celebrations. For others, they play a smaller role. There’s no right or wrong way to incorporate gifts – every family is different. No matter where yours falls, one thing that most can benefit from is a tradition that’s all about quality time, hanging out, and connecting. Maybe it’s packing up the car with hot cocoa and snacks for a drive to look at holiday lights, or a family game night after everyone shares what they’re most thankful for. Perhaps every year on a certain date you start a gigantic jigsaw puzzle that you work on a bit each evening. There are so many options here – the goals is simply being fully present with each other and enjoying each other’s company.
4. The Tradition with a Twist
For many people, holiday traditions are a big part of what make the season so special, as they have a unique way of melding the past and present. While we might long for them to stay the same, the reality is that traditions often evolve over time – and that’s okay. Sometimes they change out of necessity, like if the family has grown so large that your aunt and uncle can no longer host in their small house. Other times, you can be intentional about tweaking traditions just a bit to make them a better fit for your life stage, circumstances, or preferences. Maybe after years of serving the same menu you discover no one in your family actually even likes sweet potatoes, so you swap them for your famous homemade mac and cheese. Or instead of a traditional gift exchange with your extended family, you do a white elephant exchange because it’s more budget-friendly and frankly, more fun. You don’t have to completely start from scratch when you want to switch things up. Instead, just get creative with ways you put a modern twist on the tried and true.
Whether you’ve been thinking about the holidays for months already or you insist on waiting until after Halloween (at least!), it’s undeniable that traditions are a big part of the season. By doing a bit of planning ahead, you can be more intentional about what types of traditions you carry out this year and for years to come.
