Traditions are an important part of family life. They can bring families closer together, strengthen family bonds, and provide a sense of belonging.
Families often spend a lot of time together during the holidays, making it a great time of the year to build family traditions.
Eating special treats and activities like baking cookies are often part of holiday traditions. But not all traditions have to be about the sweets. The great part about family traditions is being together and making memories.
Here are several ways you can create memorable holiday traditions that promote well-being, support good health and won’t cause cavities.
HEALTHY FAMILY TRADITION IDEAS
Get Up and Moving
Start a tradition that is centered around being active. These ideas bring both exercise and fun to the holiday season:
- Take a family hike every year on New Year’s Day
- Go on a family sledding or tubing outing
- Organize a “turkey bowl” outdoors and play football
- Participate in an organized holiday fun run or fitness event
- Take a night hike when houses are lit up with outdoor lights
Teach Kids About Kindness and Compassion
Incorporate acts of service into family celebrations. These acts can expose kids to the ideas of kindness and compassion, being generous with time, and serving others:
- Volunteer at a local organization like a soup kitchen or animal shelter
- Make holiday cards for the troops, homebound neighbors, or a nursing home
- Go shopping together for donations to make to a holiday toy drive
- Make a holiday gift for loved ones instead of buying a gift
Strengthen Family Togetherness
Having fun together is a great way for families to connect. These activities can help your family share joy and laughter:
- Have a family board game night, card game night, or play old-fashioned charades
- Host a talent show, variety show or family skit night
- Plan a themed dinner night where each family member contributes to a portion of the meal
- Hold a scavenger hunt in your house
- Make paper snowflakes to hang in your windows
Encourage Good Mental Health
Give your minds a break from the frenzy of the holiday season. These traditions can promote calm in your household, help you to de-stress, and boost positivity:
- Have a phone-free day for all family members during your holiday break
- Set aside time to look through old photo albums or watch slideshows of holidays past
- Take a family drive to look at holiday lights
- Start a family gratitude journal
- Make a holiday memory book and add to it each year
Traditions draw your family back together year after year. They give you something to look forward to. The memories of them can stay with your kids for years, helping to give you all a sense of identity and unity.
Keep in mind it’s OK for some traditions to fade away or change over the years. And it’s never too late for new traditions to begin. I hope you have fun starting a new and healthy family tradition this year!
