5 Holiday Traditions we LOVE!
It’s amazing to me how the holiday season seems to arrive so suddenly. Partly I think it’s because I grew up in a cold climate and now live in a warm one where I still can’t quite believe Thanksgiving day could touch into the 80s. And partly it’s just because the older I get and the busier our house gets, the faster time seems to slip on by.
But alas, here it is, The Holidays. A season that over the years I have come to love and that we as a family have definitely made our own.
Being a huge fan of setting intentions and creating ritual the holidays represent a reason for me to break out all my tricks. Time for us to mark the season, celebrate friends and family, gather with community, sing lots of songs and to mark the end of one year and the beginning of another. Knowing that the holidays bring a welcome break from the routine of school and early rising is reason enough for us to celebrate!
Here are five of our favorite ways to celebrate this beautiful season of love and light…
1. Shipping Containers…We put out boxes for different family members that live far away – we address the boxes and leave them out so that everyone in the family can add things as they think of them. Perhaps a drawing or a painting made, or a small craft item created, a treat made or a present purchased or even a love note written just for them. We wrap the little gifts and sometime before or around Christmas we seal them up and mail them on their way full of love and holiday cheer.
2. Clearing the Way…Because the holidays bring in SO MUCH! We love to clear things out beforehand. Every day during the month of December each family member gets rid of one thing (or more!) It is fun to go through our belongings and get rid of things we don’t need or want or love shedding new light also on the things we decide to keep. So that when the new things come in, we have plenty of space to truly love, celebrate and use them fully.
3. Crafternoons…Although it’s not always easy to fit into our busy lives – especially as the kids get older and make plans of their own, we try to have one or two afternoons during the holidays that are set aside for crafting. Usually it’s a simple project that can be done by all ages and sometimes it’s even just a drawing project where we all gather around the table and make cards for people. It’s not the project that is the focus, rather the idea that we’re all gathering together and making things with our dear friends and family in mind. Here are a few simple ideas...
4. To-Do List…This is a list we start sometime around Thanksgiving of fun things we want to do as a family during our break from school. The 2 weeks off always seems so spacious yet can fly by in a blink! With this in mind we keep a list of things to do on our time off so that when the days off arrive we can access our list for fun things to do. Perhaps there’s a hike we always wanted to take, or a place in town we’ve been wanting to go, or friends we’d like to have over or a craft we’d like to make. Whatever it is, we keep a big list so that when the idea hits we can write it down and have a big, beautiful master list when the days off arrive.
5. Holiday Walk…On Christmas Day we hit the streets of our city either on foot or on bikes. We walk all about the deserted downtown, enjoying the city lights and the holiday windows and the empty sidewalks that allow us to linger and enjoy life at our own pace.
This Holiday Season what are you going to do to celebrate? How will you make sure your holidays stay sane and joyful and connected? If you need a little help, you can find a simple workbook to help you make the holidays your own!
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