Childhood Memories
When you think back on your childhood, what are the things you remember most?
For me, a lot of my memories are about family get-togethers to celebrate birthdays and holidays. These are the types of memories that I hope to help create with my family over the years! Not every tradition has to be over the top. Sometimes the smaller traditions have the most lasting impact!
Family Traditions
For instance, on Christmas Eve, my dad would always read the Night Before Christmas before my sister and I went to bed. The year we got our dog my dad even read it to him before he tucked him in.
My mom would hang curled ribbon from the kitchen doorway on our birthdays. I can remember how excited I would get when I woke up to see the house decorated.
My mom called January 6, “Little Christmas.” She would have a small gift for my sister and me. She explained that was the day the 3 Wise Men made it to see Jesus. She said it was a reminder of how they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
When I found out I was pregnant, I remember being excited to pass down these traditions, and later I was equally excited to create new traditions with my family.
Benefits of Family Traditions
What’s great about traditions is it gives you something to look forward to each year.
Now that my daughter is 14 most days, she would rather hang with friends then do something with her mom and dad. But there is one universal exception. She still wants to be a part of our family traditions- not just traditional holiday ones but also the fun ones we’ve made up over the years.
Nontraditional Family Traditions
Ice Cream Summers
From Memorial Day to Labor Day each weekend, we pick a different ice cream place to try out. It’s the perfect family activity. We usually take a summer vacation, and It’s been fun to find an ice cream place and compare it to what we have back home. One of our ice cream weekends, we go to the grocery store, and each picks out a pint of ice cream to try.
Game Olympics
During Spring Break, we pick several different games to play. We keep track of who wins, and at the end of the week, we give out medals made of ribbon and construction paper for Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
Serving Utensil Only Day
One day during Christmas Break, we tape off our silverware drawer, and we can only use serving utensils. Wooden spoons make for fun ways to eat cereal. Tongs take the place of forks. Anything goes, but the wackier, the better!
Lasting Memories
If you want to create lasting memories with your kids, come up with some fun new traditions to do every year. Do you already have a unique family tradition? Tag @toledo.moms on Instagram and share what your family celebrates!
