Creating Meaningful Family Traditions

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Family traditions are what hold us together, and even when everyone has grown up and moved away, it’s these traditions that still mean we’ve got something in common and there’s always something to come back to. Not only that, but they’re a great thing to think about when you want to belong or feel a connection with your past, and you might even pass them on to your own family - it’s clear they’re really important for you, your family, your friends… everyone. 

But what if you want to start some new family traditions? Maybe you’re at a new stage in your life, or perhaps you just feel as though it’s time your family had more bonding time or more connections, and you don’t think your current traditions - if there are any - are enough. Whatever the reason, coming up with meaningful family traditions can be a challenge, but it can definitely be done - read on to find out more. 

Weekly Family Dinners

A family tradition that really easy to get started on because, after all, everyone needs to eat, is a weekly family dinner. Now, it might be that you already do this, and perhaps you do it multiple times in a week, but if you’re like a lot of family who don’t often get a chance to sit down together to eat, making time for that is crucial, and it can really make a great family tradition. 

You could choose just one day a week when everyone is less busy (perhaps a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening), and make sure that your family dinner is always a priority - true, other things might come up from time to time, but if family dinner is the first thing you try to do, you’ll get it done more times than not. 

The best part about family dinner is that it ticks a lot of boxes. Not only do you get to eat together, so you only have to make one meal and you can ensure it’s as healthy and nutritious (and delicious!) as possible, but it’s also a great time to find out more about one another’s week, switch off technology for an hour, and generally unwind. You can even rotate who chooses the menu or even who cooks the meal so that it’s a real family affair and everyone feels involved. 

Honouring Loved Ones

Every family has loved ones who’ve passed away, and that means there’s always going to be an anniversary of their death to deal with. Rather than let that become a sad day or forget about it entirely, you could have a family tradition where everyone honours those loved ones - and it doesn’t have to take long or be expensive, either. 

One way to do it is to create a dedicated memorial space in your home or garden, which could include photos, special belongings, and various other mementos. Or you could make things even simpler and invest in cremation grave markers for your loved ones that you can visit on the right day and remember them that way. Another idea would be to do something they would have loved; did they like the theatre? Book some tickets to a show they would have enjoyed. Picnics in the park? Pack one and go. The list is endless, and it’s a great way to remember someone you loved with your whole family every year, and create a lovely family tradition. 

Annual Family Holiday

Now this is a fun idea that everyone is sure to enjoy - an annual family holiday. Once again, this doesn’t have to be an expensive thing to do, and you could even have a staycation where you don’t technically go anywhere, but everyone takes time off work when the kids are off school and you explore your local area, doing your favourite things and trying new ones. 

Whatever you do and wherever you go, a family holiday is a wonderful way to bond, make memories, and - something that’s more important than you might realise - take a break from the usual daily routines (this is fantastic as it gives your brain a chance to relax as well as the rest of you, and it reduces the chances of various types of mental health problem, like stress, depression, and anxiety). 

Celebrate Milestones

Want a family tradition that’s easy to remember and simple for your kids to pass down through the generations, but that has deeper meaning and can make a positive difference in everyone’s life? Well in that case, why not celebrate milestones? 

Half of these are things you probably already do, so you’re already off to a flying start, but when you celebrate milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, great exam results, driving test passes, and anything else that comes about, then you’ll be setting your family up for positive vibes and helping them feel good about life. Plus, if you make sure the celebration is the same (or at least similar) each time, it becomes a wonderful tradition that really easy for everyone to feel comfortable with and, as time goes on, nostalgic for. Create some special rituals like making the same food or heading to the same restaurant and so on, and everything becomes so much more enjoyable. 

Seasonal Activities 

Living in a place that definitely has four distinct seasons means you’ve got the perfect opportunity to enjoy those seasons in different ways and make various family traditions for various times of the year - that’s a lot of fun, and it gives everyone something to look forward to as the seasons change. 

There are so many things you can do that it’s impossible to list them all here, and it’s really going to depend on the kinds of things you’re interested in, but some examples include apple picking or pumpkin carving in the autumn, baking festive cookies in the winter, planting new flowers in the spring, and having a big family barbecue in the summer. What a fantastic way to make sure there’s always a family tradition to enjoy on the horizon and to ensure that the entire year is filled with the potential to make beautiful memories.