Chloe and I are in a state of our lives, our marriage, our parenting, where we are actively on the look-out to start new family traditions. We've each had various annual or semi-regular traditions that were a part of our upbringing, and now we're asking "what do we want to keep?" and "what do we want to start brand new?"
The most prominent family traditions in our culture usually emerge around the holidays, particularly Christmastime. There are traditions that have to do with hiding an elf (huh?), cutting down a tree, decorating a tree, singing carols, baking cookies, going shopping, wrapping presents, giving presents, eating big meals together, the list goes on. I wonder, what are your traditions?
Something new we've started to do this year is on each day of December leading up to Christmas (for each night of Advent), we have a short Bible verse to read together as a family, a question to consider, and a succinct prayer to pray for every night of Advent. We've got candles set up by our window, and I light them to start our time. After we finish, our kids love to blow them out. At ages 5, 2 and newborn, they're hardly able to sit still for this time, and are more fascinated by the candles than the Scripture, the prayer, or anything else. And that's okay. It's about having something that we look forward to, that brings us together and creates space for memories to be made. The candles are definitely the best part, but the whole experience is seeping into them through repetition. That's the power of tradition.
I want you to consider, what are your traditions? What are the things you do with your friends & your family around this time of year? These things are significant! Do them with gusto! Maybe you’re in a place where you can't think of any meaningful traditions that you do. Start one! Just one. Keep it simple. Or maybe you're in a place where you've had traditions, but things have changed. Kids have grown up. It's not like it used to be. That's worth recognizing & processing, so do that, and then consider how you could start a new tradition in this new stage of life you find yourself in. Give yourself, and your family, something meaningful to look forward to this and every holiday season. Or perhaps, see the meaning and significance in what you're already doing.