Do you have any memories of what you did on Christmas mornings as a child? Is there anything your parents did for you on Christmas eve to make it special or memorable? Maybe singing songs, baking cakes, hanging up the decor. Well, traditions are things that families follow or do each year to make a celebration special. Traditions help us bond with the ones we love and create happy memories.
If you don’t have any family tradition yet, here are a few activities from my life that I’d like to share.
1. Listening to Christmas music
Choose your favourite Christmas songs and add them to your Christmas playlist. Play them in the background while baking some cookies or playing board games with your family. I like Jazz, so check out a few links I like:
1. Christmas Jazz Radio
2. Frank Sinatra Christmas tunes
3. Charlie Brown is always a winner!
2. Reading Christmas stories
Depending on the age of your kids, Christmas Eve can be one of the greatest days of the year for a group read and is a tradition in my family. Curl up on the couch, turn off the TV and open a book! “The Christmas Wish” by Lori Evert is a couple of good pick this year!
3. Get the whole family to help out at a Charity!!
This is probably the best tradition you can start. Work with a local charity to either volunteer time or to purchase supplies. Here is a couple:
Kojenecky ustav Kolin (Children’s Center Kolín).
The orphanage has up to 40 kids 0-3 years old. Call them to see what they need, and then buy it with your Little Ones and deliver them. You’ll all feel great for doing a great thing!
Phone: + 420 321 722 552
The Tereza Maxova Foundation
The foundation’s purpose is all-around support and assistance to underprivileged and abandoned children with the goal of making a healthy and safe life in a family environment possible for them.
Phone: +420 257 474 529
4. Christmas Movie Night
Watching Christmas shows and movies is a great way to get some family time during the holidays. But to make it a tradition, set aside an entire night to spend with the family!
My list includes “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, “Home Alone”, “Elf”, or my all-time favourite (which we just watched last night): “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. (Also completely in the discussion is Die Hard.)
5. Make A Family tree day!
One of the traditions I loved as a kid was getting a Christmas tree. Dad would load us all into the car and we’d head out to a Christmas tree farm. We’d walk all over the farm, find the perfect one, and bring it home. On the way back, we’d always stop for lunch at a tiny restaurant in a tiny town called Metamora. Man, just writing this I can still taste that white bean soup…
Got a cool holiday tradition in your family? Let us know with a comment below or a message!
Have a Happy Holiday season from all of us here at Little Panda!