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I don't forget just a handful of the Christmas presents I received as a child: My first Barbie doll with her skinny black sequined gown. My soft, pink Pat-a-Burp doll. The microscope I got in second grade.
But I have various, quite a few memories of our holiday traditions. The lovely aromas of holiday ethnic food. Riding the South Shore train into Chicago to go to the "real" Santa. Employing a paintbrush to decorate sugar cookies with colored frosting. Setting up our manger scene.
Traditions add so much joy to the holidays. Traditions give a child a sense of belonging and identity. They strengthen bonds across generations and live long in memory.
A family rich in traditions has a effective antidote to commercialism. The extra focused you are on pleasures that expense small or absolutely nothing, the a great deal more all the gifts tend to stay in their suitable location.
Best of all, a lot of traditions are perfectly suited to today's busy families. Here are a couple of favorites:
Simple PLEASURES
Light candles at dinnertime. If December mornings are dark exactly where you live, light candles at breakfast, too.
Take an evening stroll or auto ride to appear at Christmas lights.
Serve warm chocolate with candy canes for stirring.
THE JOY OF GIVING
Let your kids in on the excitement of finding and wrapping gifts for those they adore. Compliment them for becoming massive enough to keep the surprise a secret.
As a family, decide on a charity and make a donation. Our favorite is Heifer International (www.heifer.org).
Take a plate of cookies or other holiday treats to a homeless shelter or to a police or fire station.
GRATITUDE
Give family members members strips of paper in holiday colors. Let every person write or draw something they're thankful for on each and every strip. Link the strips into a chain and hang as a decoration.
Write thank-you cards to each other. Determine together when to open them.
CONNECTING GENERATIONS
Interview grandparents, aunts, and uncles about holiday traditions they don't forget from their childhood. Adopt any traditions that fit your family.
Ask relatives for holiday recipes that have been handed down in your family members. Or, search the World wide web for holiday recipes related to your ethnic origins.
NEW YEAR'S EVE
If your kids are small, it works fine to celebrate the new year at 9 PM instead of midnight!
Pull out photos and videos from the past year and share your memories.
Maintain a box of inexpensive noisemakers and party hats that you can re-use every single year. The kids will take pleasure in pulling out their old favorites.
NEW YEAR'S DAY
Decorate a box in which you'll put pictures, ticket stubs and other souveniers of the coming year. Speak about your hopes and wishes.
Let every family member put New Year's resolutions into their own envelope. Author Mimi Doe ("Busy But Balanced") has a tradition of sealing the envelopes with wax -- a nice, magical touch.
(c) 2004 Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC
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