Family time is the most important time for me. But who actually has the time for it???
In order to make the most of your precious time together, I think it's important to plan out special days or evenings. Include your children, your mother, father, sisters and brothers in daily, weekly or monthly activities. Even if it's on Skype every Sunday, maximizing time together is good for the soul. And putting it on your calendar will help you actually do it.
Growing up, I remember on Friday nights we'd all play kick the can (yep, now I'm aging myself - ha!) with the neighborhood kids. At 8:00 p.m. we would all run into one of our houses and watch, (yep, here comes the age thing again!) The Brady Bunch, followed by The Partridge Family. I thought David Cassidy was soooo dreamy! Another fond memory of a family tradition was on Saturday nights' my dad loved to watch Lawrence Welk with my mom and my siblings. There was this great tap dancer named Arthur Duncan and my dad would make me get my tap shoes out and practice along with him. I remember hating this moment, but I laugh about it now. I didn’t know at the time, but being together and enjoying our favorite shows became one of our family traditions.
Which made me wonder, where do traditions come from? I discovered they can be stemmed from celebratory occasions such as a birthday, a holiday or any special event.
One way to keep your family traditions alive is to have reunions – I think every five years is perfect. A few years ago I planned a reunion for our family who travelled from the East Coast. I organized a bus tour of San Francisco one day, we had a picnic in Half Moon Bay (brrrrr) the next day and then ended the weekend with a big, backyard BBQ. The wonderful memories we made are still etched in my family's mind.
Everyday traditions can be as simple as pouring yourself a steaming hot cup of coffee each morning and reading the New York Times or a Friday night pizza and movie night. Everyone likes movies, right? For one movie night, I ordered an online subscription box and it arrived filled with microwave popcorn, paper straws, chocolates and scented candles. Side note: I’ll be blogging about the new subscription box trend soon!
As for holiday traditions, at our house, on Christmas morning everyone receives a new matching pair of pajamas to wear while opening gifts. The boys and girls pj's have differed slightly as they've matured, but the style is in the same holiday genre. And for Christmas dinner, I always make my famous filet mignon with sautéed onions and mushrooms. Yum!
Family member’s favorite foods always seem to have a traditional feeling to them. Birthday dinners at our house are chosen by the birthday girl or boy and their favorite meal is prepared for them that evening. Whether it's chicken divan, tacos or fruit crumble, they get to choose whatever they want. It's usually the same home cooked dinner each year (aka a tradition). We also decorate the birthday girl/boy's chair with colorful decorations and have party hats and blowers strewn on the table. And we can't forget the inflatable birthday cake that is waiting for them on their special day. Birthdays are a fun time to celebrate. Each year is just as important as the next! I’ve got some great ideas for celebrating them, just ask!
Regardless of the type of traditions your family has, here’s a great tip: remember to create a photo book of the memorable moments. Just ask me and I can help you with this! I do this for virtually every event as a keepsake. They also make great gifts!
And speaking of gifts, what ever happened to the handwritten thank you note? This is a tradition that should not be forgotten. Write a thank you note after receiving a gift or attending an event with personalized stationery to give the note a little more pep! Forget about thanking someone on email or via text….everyone does that! Be different. Send a handwritten note or card. The handwritten word is so much more meaningful! My mother taught me this wonderful exercise. In fact, when I lived in France, my mother wrote to me every Monday and I looked forward to receiving her loving handwritten notes each week. Thanks for the tradition, Mom!
So, go start some family traditions and remember to keep in touch!
