Ever since I was too young to remember, my family has had one significantly exciting tradition. We're not too big into over-the-top traditions, but we do things like family dinners and family game night, the occasional backyard barbecue, a New Year's party, whathaveyou. But when Christmas time comes, the family favorite tradition gets refreshed, hidden in plain sight, and then hunted for.
Each Christmas every member of my family (including Kelly) goes on a treasure hunt for one of their gifts. It's a fun and free way to take the emphasis off tearing open unnecessary paper, and gleefully go through present after present of items we might not ever use.
So we treasure hunt. We treasure hunt for the gift we wanted, nay, longed for the most. And, aside from being with family and feeling warmth and happiness seep from every body, it's honestly become the part of Christmas I look forward to most. (yes, it trumps fresh-baked Christmas cookies.)
But I've been feeling like starting new traditions lately. I guess that's partly why I'm so eager to go to the beach with my family for Christmas this year. One day I'll have my own family, and I look forward to getting to tell my children (the kind with only two feet, not four) all about the traditions we had growing up. I want to create more pass-down-able traditions and experiences.
While I was looking around online for homemade gift ideas, I found some neat ones that are potentially tradition-worthy.
Here is my favorite: Writing.
“We are now writing a chapter of our family history each year. We’ll pick a topic, and each family member will write about it. One person plays ‘editor’, collecting the stories, and presents them all together for Christmas. We’ve written about our favorite Christmas, the house we grew up in, and this year we’re writing about how we met our spouse. Last year, my Mom sent out her first draft of her entire life history. This gift costs nothing, unless you choose to make fancy copies or books. It does take a little time if you want to contribute quality. It will, however, carry a lasting value unmatched by any tangible gifts we’ve exchanged, or even experiential gifts!”
With as much as I know my siblings and I are capable of writing and telling stories, I think this kind of thing would be fascinating for my parents. I want to start working on something like this for them for perhaps their anniversary.
And another one: games.
"This year is going to be a family trivia game.”
In general, trivia is fun, but if every member of my family came up with ten varying difficulty level questions about themselves, we could have an awesome trivia game in no time at all. And not only would there probably be hours of laughter, but we might also learn a thing or two about each other.
And one last one: a memory jar.
“The most wonderful gift I’ve ever given (it’s still talked about years later) cost me almost nothing. I spent a few months contacting friends and family members and asked them to send me memories and old pictures of my grandfather. Then I wrote one memory (or printed one picture)on each of 365 business card sized pieces of cardstock. I folded each in half and secured it with a bit of tape, then placed them all in a big jar I decorated. Every morning for the next year, my grandfather would take out a paper, open it, and see what other people cherished in him. He loved it.”
Yet another great gift idea for the parents.
I think things like this would bring our family even closer, if that's even possible. And would pave the way for future generations -- setting in motion some family traditions that may last longer than I can even fathom. :)
Each Christmas every member of my family (including Kelly) goes on a treasure hunt for one of their gifts. It's a fun and free way to take the emphasis off tearing open unnecessary paper, and gleefully go through present after present of items we might not ever use.
So we treasure hunt. We treasure hunt for the gift we wanted, nay, longed for the most. And, aside from being with family and feeling warmth and happiness seep from every body, it's honestly become the part of Christmas I look forward to most. (yes, it trumps fresh-baked Christmas cookies.)
But I've been feeling like starting new traditions lately. I guess that's partly why I'm so eager to go to the beach with my family for Christmas this year. One day I'll have my own family, and I look forward to getting to tell my children (the kind with only two feet, not four) all about the traditions we had growing up. I want to create more pass-down-able traditions and experiences.
While I was looking around online for homemade gift ideas, I found some neat ones that are potentially tradition-worthy.
Here is my favorite: Writing.
“We are now writing a chapter of our family history each year. We’ll pick a topic, and each family member will write about it. One person plays ‘editor’, collecting the stories, and presents them all together for Christmas. We’ve written about our favorite Christmas, the house we grew up in, and this year we’re writing about how we met our spouse. Last year, my Mom sent out her first draft of her entire life history. This gift costs nothing, unless you choose to make fancy copies or books. It does take a little time if you want to contribute quality. It will, however, carry a lasting value unmatched by any tangible gifts we’ve exchanged, or even experiential gifts!”
With as much as I know my siblings and I are capable of writing and telling stories, I think this kind of thing would be fascinating for my parents. I want to start working on something like this for them for perhaps their anniversary.
And another one: games.
"This year is going to be a family trivia game.”
In general, trivia is fun, but if every member of my family came up with ten varying difficulty level questions about themselves, we could have an awesome trivia game in no time at all. And not only would there probably be hours of laughter, but we might also learn a thing or two about each other.
And one last one: a memory jar.
“The most wonderful gift I’ve ever given (it’s still talked about years later) cost me almost nothing. I spent a few months contacting friends and family members and asked them to send me memories and old pictures of my grandfather. Then I wrote one memory (or printed one picture)on each of 365 business card sized pieces of cardstock. I folded each in half and secured it with a bit of tape, then placed them all in a big jar I decorated. Every morning for the next year, my grandfather would take out a paper, open it, and see what other people cherished in him. He loved it.”
Yet another great gift idea for the parents.
I think things like this would bring our family even closer, if that's even possible. And would pave the way for future generations -- setting in motion some family traditions that may last longer than I can even fathom. :)
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