No matter who you are or where you live, December is a month steeped in tradition. For most Austinites, December traditions include putting up a Christmas tree, visiting one of the many light shows around town, and exchanging gifts with friends and family. One of the best parts of raising kids is introducing them to your family’s traditions and creating new ones of your own. How do you decide which traditions to keep and which to let go? And how do you make new traditions together? This December, gather your kids and invite them to help you unwrap your family’s story through traditions.
Take a Look at Past Traditions
When you start a family, you bring traditions from your family of origin and combine them with your partner’s traditions. While you may pick and choose which traditions stay and which go, it is not always a formal conversation. Often, it comes down to the time and effort a tradition requires. The less meaning a tradition holds, the more likely it is to fade away.
This year, take some intentional time to talk about your old traditions, what they meant to you as a child, and which ones are worth continuing. Is there a tradition you loved growing up that did not carry over into your current family? Would it be meaningful to bring it back?
It is also worthwhile to explore the “why” behind each tradition. Did your family have a ritual that helped ground you during the busy season, such as attending a Christmas Eve church service or baking cookies for neighbors between Christmas and New Year’s? Was there something fun or silly, such as everyone getting a pair of crazy socks to wear on Christmas Day, that you want to introduce to your own children? Talk about the traditions that bring your family peace, joy, and laughter, and remind your kids why we celebrate this time of year.
Sort Through Your Current Traditions
Once you reflect on the traditions you grew up with, take a look at what you do intentionally, or even unintentionally, with your children each year. If your kids are old enough to have opinions, invite them into the conversation. Their understanding of what it takes to pull off certain traditions, such as baking 100 cookies for the neighbors, may not be complete, but they can offer valuable insight into what feels special and what they secretly dread.
Think broadly about the word “tradition.” To you, a tradition may be something you did every year with your parents and continue with your kids. To your children, a tradition might be something you have done only once or twice but now feels essential. Ask your kids about their favorite and least favorite holiday activities. Their answers may surprise you.
Figure Out What Works for Your Family
Now it is time to determine which traditions work for your family and which ones to let go. Do not let your schedule become so packed with traditions that you lose the joy of the season. For example, if your parents hosted a four-course New Year’s Eve dinner for extended family, but cooking is not your passion, consider simplifying. Order pizza and focus on the time together instead. Your family life is different from the one you grew up in, and your traditions should reflect that.
It is also important to discuss how traditions reflect who you are. Talk with your children about what makes a tradition meaningful, and remind them that not all traditions are focused on entertainment. Many holiday traditions center on giving. Your kids may grumble about spending Saturday morning at a shelter making sandwiches, but experiences like these help center their hearts on generosity. Over time, these traditions may become cherished memories and a legacy they carry into adulthood.
Is It Time to Add a New Tradition?
After reviewing your current traditions and deciding which ones to keep, consider what new traditions you might add. This is where you and your kids begin writing your own family story. Choose traditions that are unique to you. Think back to how your childhood traditions made you feel. Did they help you feel connected, peaceful, or joyful? If not, you have the opportunity to create a different experience for your own children. Add new traditions that reflect your family’s values and the legacy you want to leave.
Here are some ideas to spark your imagination:
- Fun Holiday Activities Around Austin
- Watch a performance of The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol.
Visit the Austin Trail of Lights, Peppermint Parkway, or the Mozart’s Coffee Roasters light show. - Sign up for a fun run, such as the Turkey Trot or the Trail of Lights 5K.
- Shop for gifts at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar.
- Ice skate at Whole Foods, Chaparral Ice, or The Crossover.
Ways to Give Back
- Choose gifts to donate to Blue Santa.
- Raise funds for your favorite charity on Giving Tuesday.
- Adopt and shop for a Salvation Army Angel Tree child.
- Put together blessing bags with toiletries, socks, and treats to give to Austin’s homeless community.
- Bake cookies or make cards for friends and neighbors.
Family Togetherness Activities at Home
- Make gingerbread houses.
- Visit a local farm to pick out and cut down your own Christmas tree.
- Host a Christmas movie marathon with popcorn and hot cocoa.
- Make ornaments or other holiday decorations.
- Read a new holiday-themed book every night, or for older kids, choose a read-aloud chapter book such as A Christmas Carol.
Fun and Silly Things to Do
- Host a family Secret Santa or White Elephant exchange.
- Go caroling in your neighborhood.
- Pick out a themed gift, such as silly socks or unusual candy, to enjoy together.
- Hide small gifts around the house for each day of December.
- Have breakfast for dinner, ice cream sundaes for breakfast, or another playful meal theme.
This holiday season, take time to reflect on what really matters. Lean into creating memories with your family through traditions old and new, and let your kids take part in the process. Discover what works best for your family, and do not hesitate to start fresh traditions. You are unwrapping your family’s tradition year after year.
Catherine Michalk is a native Austinite, writer, and mom of three. You can follow her family’s adventures at www.catherinemichalk.com.
