This time of year, all of us are looking for a little inspiration for ways to connect as a family. We want to deepen family relationships and offer that wonder-filled experience that our children will always carry with them. Perhaps you are looking for some fresh ideas? Simplicity Parenting readers share here some of their own favorite family traditions!
Betsy (Texas), shares, “This school year has brought about a change in routine for us, since all three kids are now in elementary school. We’ve been deliberate about still continuing to eat breakfast together, dinner together every night around the table, read books together, pray together, but we have really missed the amount of time we were spending together doing things.
So my husband and I set out to gather ideas that we thought would be fun to do as a family, and then create an Advent Family challenge calendar. Our rules are that we do them as a family each day, everyone has to participate, and no one can lose it as a part of a consequence. Every morning one of the kids pulls out the card from the day’s pocket and reads aloud what we’ll do. It might be create an ornament to give away, decorate your bedroom door, make homemade pizza and watch a movie, make ice cream snowman sundaes.
We’ve really enjoyed it. It is an intentional way for us to make sure we are connecting, spending time together & having a ton of fun along the way!”
Samantha (UK), shares, “Our favourite family tradition at this time of year relates to celebrating Advent. My son has a beautiful wooden Advent lorry that we bought him in France when he was a baby, with a drawer for each day of Advent, and my daughter has an Advent angel/doll, with a pocket for every day of Advent. So each day, I put either a couple of raisins or a small piece of licorice inside the relevant drawer/pocket, together with a small picture of something or someone that relates to the day. This is always really simple and does not involve spending much money or having big outings; it may be a picture of mince pies, to show that we are going to either eat or make some, or a photo of ducks that we often feed at a nearby pond, or of a Christmas tree, to show that we are going to decorate it today, or a photo of a close friend or relative who we will be seeing that day, and so on. Occasionally I splurge on a Christmassy story book or a theatre show as a treat for them, and put a photo of that in there. It is really fun to do, costs very little and brings so much joy – they both rush downstairs every morning to see what is in their Advent lorry/dolly today.”
Danielle (Cape Cod, MA) says, “Our favorite [holiday ritual] is our traditional advent reading. My husband is a commuter, so he usually gets home late. We always put on all the lights inside and out for him. We light our dozens of candles and try to have something warm to eat for him. The house smells good and just feels really cozy with everyone in their jammies waiting for PaPa to get home. After hugs and kisses, he settles in with us all around him to read the book we have chosen this year. With the candles and Christmas lights it’s pure magic to listen to him reading the chapters. The kids get sleepy and are ready for prayers. It’s a magical way for a day to end.”