Do you feel it? The shift in the air? The holiday season is coming up! Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are right around the corner.
Holiday seasons are filled with memories and some classic family traditions that we all know and love.
These traditions make up our childhoods, or maybe it’s something your family will start doing this year! Let’s walk through some fun and interesting seasonal traditions you can participate in this year.
Hay Rides
Now that there is a chill in the air and leaves are changing colors, it’s time for a classic hayride! A nice hayride is a fun activity to do with a loved one or your family. Look up and see if your local town is hosting any kind of farm / hayride. Get your comfy flannels on, pour a thermos full of hot apple cider, and make your way to a fun, family tradition hayride.
Pumpkin Picking
This follows in suit of the hayride! Everyone loves pumpkin picking! This is a great tradition for your family to go out and pick their own individual pumpkins. And there is so much to do with your pumpkins when you have them! Family photos on your front porch holding your pumpkins, pumpkin painting, pumpkin carving, and (if you carve them) baking pumpkin seeds! See, so much to do with your pumpkins. It also poses for a perfect photo op for your family! Make sure to stop and take some nice family photos while you’re out there.
Christmas lights
Something magical happens when the sun goes down, the snow begins to fall, and the light from Christmas decorations begins to paint a new world. Christmas lights are wonderful and create such a fun family tradition. Look up to see if there is a neighborhood in your area, or a park, that hosts a beautiful Christmas light event. Whether you’re walking to see the lights, or enjoying the view from your car - wear some snuggle clothes!
Giant Bonfire
It’s chilly! That means it’s time to snuggle down and have a huge bonfire. If you live our in the country or you have enough land to have a big ole bon fire, invite lots of friends and family to come and enjoy! If you don’t have a ton of space, you can still host a great get together around a bon fire pit at your home. Provide smore’s ingredients and some hot chocolate! It’s a great time for friends to get together to share stories, maybe break out a guitar for a song, and enjoy a fun tradition of a yearly bon fire.
Volunteering
Hey…’tis the season to give! Let’s focus on loving other people who could use a little extra attention. This year, devote some special time to serve and volunteer for your community. You could provide xmas gifts for little ones in the foster care system, help cook a loving meal for the homeless, or go play with some sweet pets that are waiting to find their forever home. No matter what you choose, do it with a loving heart. It definitely sets everything in perspective and this will create such a beautiful tradition for yourself and for your family/friends.
Cookie Swap
The colder it gets, the more baking that comes to life. This year, create a cookie swap party! Reach out to your friends/family and let them know the date. Provide a sheet for sign ups so that everyone can see what kind of cookies they will be making (that way there aren’t any duplicates). Make at least two dozen cookies to share. When your guests come over, they will be able to come and grab a cookie from each participant! If you have enough people, they may be able to grab more than one cookie per person!
Xmas eve movie favorites
With Christmas, it’s fun to have a fan favorite movie to watch every year! On xmas eve, have your favorite dinner and dessert, then run to put on your pajamas to snuggle down and watch the favorite Christmas eve movie! Elf, Christmas Vacation, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Jim Carry’s The Grinch, Home Alone...so many fun movies to choose from! It’s fun to watch the same movie on Christmas eve every year!
New Years black eyed peas
Did you know some people believe that if you eat black eyed peas on New Years...you’ll have good luck all year? Sounds crazy, but it might just be worth it! Come New Years day, get ready to cook up your peas and eat them (even if you hold your nose). Luck will come your way and fun family memories will definitely come out of this tradition.
