Creating Family, Holiday Traditions: Movies, Tree Decorating and Other Activities

Christmas is always a joyful time of year. There's just something in the air; I think it's called the holiday spirit. The moments we share with family and friends at this time of year are wonderful. All of the petty disagreements of the year are erased as we come together to celebrate. My memories of childhood Christmases are few, but fond. My family's traditions stick out more in my mind than any specific Christmas Day does. It is those traditions that make Christmas truly special and memorable.

Every Christmas Eve at our house, we'd each open one gift. We always watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas. My husband's family has a totally different set of Christmas traditions. Every year, after opening presents, the whole family goes to Grandma and Grandpa's house. They also do a Secret Santa for the kids. Now that we have a family all our own, though, we have to create our own holiday traditions to pass our children. Here are some ideas we are considering.

Merry Movie Matinee

Make a trip to the video store one day, and let everyone pick out a holiday favorite. Instead of eating buttered popcorn and Goobers, dig into some holiday candy, and have eggnog instead of coke. Turn off the cell phones, and spend an evening -- or even an afternoon -- enjoying each other's movie picks. Alternatively, you could watch one movie every night during the week preceding Christmas. You can watch whatever new holiday movie is out, or chose one of the classics that never get old.

Laugh it Up

Create a few traditions that are just plain fun. On Christmas Day, you can have a contest to see who has the best Christmas outfit, and give a special prize to the winner. Have another contest to see who can come up with the goofiest new Christmas song. Make sure someone gets a gag gift every year; those are always good for a laugh. Laughter is a great present!

Have a Holiday Hop

Invite some guests, from friends and neighbors to your children's playmates. Encourage them all to bring their favorite Christmas album. Play a few tracks from each, and dance. Choose music of many genres. Rock out to Jingle Bell Rock, and slow dance to Blue Christmas. Have a dance contest! If you want your Yule Ball to be really hopping, dance your jig on the trampoline if you've got one. This tradition is great for kids; teens might not be too keen on it, though!

Throw a Christmas Party

Christmas parties usually draw up a mental image of several well-dressed adults standing near a refreshment table talking while holding glasses of white wine while Christmas elevator music plays in the background. BORING! Invite friends, neighbors, family, and playmates of your children, and have a real celebration. Have creative finger foods for refreshments, or make it a potluck. Play some games; have a dance off. Don't just stand around chatting and sipping alcohol. Or if you must, at least have strawberry daquiris and margaritas, so your drinks are traditional green and red colors! You could also have a just for kids version.

Picking out the Tree

We're boring; we have a fake tree. As a Pagan, I believe in taking from nature when you must, and decorating a tree is a pleasure--not a need. However, not everyone believes this, and I've nothing against those who use a real tree. Make picking out the tree a tradition by going together as a family to purchase the tree. It is even neater to pick out and chop down your own tree.

Decorate Together

Of course you'll decorate the tree together, but what about the rest of the house? Usually, mom is the interior decorator, and dad gets stuck rigging up the lights. Why not do this as a family? Let your children help chose where the holiday knick knacks will go. Obviously you can't let the kids hang the lights, but you can let them help decide where the lights should go, what kind of lights to use, where to put each display. Make it a family activity.

The Festival of Lights

No, I'm not talking about Christmas parades and tree-lighting ceremonies. I'm talking about a car ride. Have a nice each year where you all pile into your family vehicle and enjoy the decorations in your community. Play some Christmas music, and bring some traditional holiday snacks with you for the ride. Spend a little while ooo-ing and ahh-ing at the pretty lights. You'll enjoy it.

Secret Santa

Most of the time, this is done at the office or by an organization like a church. Why not do it for your family? Have each family member buy a gift for each other family member, but also give a secret gift to one member of the family from Santa. This way, not only do the kids get gifts from Santa, mommy and daddy do, too. Your kids will have fun sharing in the spirit of Santa in this way. It is probably best that this tradition be something that kids are 'clued in' on as they stop believing.

Take the Tags Off

That's right; scrap the 'to and from' labels. Leave the tags that come from friends and extended family members; do this just for your immediate family. This means there will be a few gifts under the tree that are completely anonymous that anyone can open. Try to guess who each present is for and who it is from, then let the gift giver reveal who the present is for.

Christmas Eve Present Preview

Have a taste of what is to come. Before setting out Santa's milk and cookies, let everyone pick out a single present to open. Alternatively, you can vote on which gift each family member gets to open, or go around individually and pick out which gifts each other can unwrap. Spend a bit of time enjoying your gifts before bedtime while admiring the beauty of your tree.

Storytime

Reading is a fun and educational way to celebrate together. Spend a little bit of time each evening, maybe just before bed, reading together or individually. Take turns picking a book to read aloud. Have a specific story you read on Christmas Eve, like the nativity story or even Twas the Night Before Christmas. Everyone in the family could write their own holiday story or poem to read on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

You can make classic traditions more special by adding your own unique touches. For example, on the night that you decorate the tree, you could also have a special meal or go out to eat. Let everyone pick their favorite food or put a name of a restaurant in a hat. Holding each of your traditional customs on the same night each year will make them more of a routine. Drink hot cocoa or apple cider, or make some S'mores (in the microwave if you can't light a fire). Listen to Christmas music, or sing Christmas songs during your activities. Doing things together, like preparing the Christmas meal, can also make boring holiday chores into delightful family customs.

There are many things you can do as a family that can become special traditions. Whether you decide to make ornaments together or volunteer at shelter, your unique customs will become a part of your Christmas celebrations that you will never forget. Enjoy Christmas in a manner that is unique to your family. It will bring you closer together and strengthen your bond. Make Christmas really yours!