Holiday Traditions

Welcome to my December quickie-blog!

Last month I told you we were going to do a gratitude exercise every day at home with our little toddler where we wrote down what we are thankful for. I also said I’d let you know how it went….Drum roll please….

It was great!! After the first few days, he would remind us at breakfast every day “it’s time to do our thankfuls!!” His slips of paper included such things as being grateful for bananas, berries and kombucha to friends, cousins and airplanes so we can visit Nana and Grandpa. It was fun to watch him process what I said I was thankful for and see similar themes pop up in the next few days in his “thankfuls.”

Now I’m working through what the winter holidays can and should mean to me, and to us as a family. This has been a common theme, especially since I had a child, but now I feel like I’ve got to get it down since he’s 3!! And, by the way, I’ve been thinking about this since Labor Day...

You see, I wasn’t raised in a church, so the religious celebration has always been on the “light” side, if you will. Holiday food goes against everything I preach all year long (except, maybe, “everything in moderation” - if I can keep it moderate. HAA!). We don’t go crazy with presents and the STUFF of the holidays.

So what else is there? I wondered. And then it hit me - experiences! I think that I really want to focus on the experiences of the season - of community, of giving back, of making our own traditions, as well as keeping some old ones. We will go to candlelight walks, parades, concerts. We’ll get together with friends and family. We will go shopping for those less fortunate than us. We might even go cut down our own Christmas tree again this year. We did it last year for the first time and it was SO FUN!

I want to fill this season with fun, love-filled memories - you know, the things that will last a lifetime. Now here’s hoping the toddler is on board with this one too!!

What are the traditions and experiences you most treasure in this season? Let me know - I’d love to hear more ideas!