New Year's Day
- Set family goals/resolutions for the year
- Look at scrapbooks/photo albums from the last year
- Eat black eyed peas
- Watch football
Valentine's Day
- "I love you" Week - do little special things for each other each day leading up to Valentine's
- Make Valentines together for friends and family
- Heart shaped food - pancakes, sandwiches, cookies, etc.
Easter
- Make overnight cookies that tell the Easter story
- Make confetti eggs
- Easter Story Eggs
- Egg hunt
Spring
- Visit Dallas Blooms at the Dallas Arboretum
- Pictures in the blue bonnets
- Welcome spring walk
Memorial Day
- Put out an American Flag
- Make cards and care packages to send to troops
- Have a cook out with friends & family
Summer
- Take a family trip
- Spend evenings outside
- Catch fireflies
- Plant a garden each family member gets to pick a vegetable to plant
- Go on a summer rain walk
- Go pick blueberries
July 4th
- Go to local Independence Day Parade
- Cook out with friends & family
- Go watch fireworks (or stay in & watch the Washington, DC fireworks on t.v.)
Fall
- Go to the state fair
- Go to the zoo
- Visit the Dallas Arboretum
- Go to a pumpkin patch
- Go on a nature walk & collect leaves
- Do leaf rubbings
- Go to a fall festival together
- Collect food for local food pantry
Thanksgiving
- Pull the wishbone
- Watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade
- Say a special prayer
- Share favorite recipes with friends
- Light "Thank You" candles
- Go to a shelter and serve dinner
- Make a Thank You wreath by having everyone write down what they are thankful for on a fall leaf shape and attaching them to a grapevine wreath
- Have a posterboard up near the door the week before Thanksgiving and have everyone (even guests) write something they are thankful for everytime they come into the house.
Christmas
- Picture with Santa Claus
- Have an Advent calendar to count down the days til Christmas
- Write letters to Santa
- Get a personal elf
- Go to a Christmas tree farm and cut down a fresh tree
- Watch Christmas specials on t.v. (Be careful, not all are appropriate for young children)
- Make ornaments
- Go to Christmas shows at church or in the community
- Visit McKinney Square for Dickens of a Christmas
- Have a Tree Trimming Party
- Get a new Christmas book each year
- Write a letter to each child from Santa recognizing growth & accomplishments during the year
- The Three Gifts - each child gets three significant gifts, one from Santa and two from Mom & Dad, reminding them of the gifts the wisemen brought to Jesus.
- In early December, go through toys and books with kids to pick out items to donate to a shelter. Take kids with you to drop off the donation.
- Pick an Angel Tree child the same age as your child and let your kid do the shopping
- Attend a Christmas Eve service
- Go look at Christmas lights
- Make setting out the Nativity scene an event
- Buy a special ornament for each family member each year
- Listen to Christmas music all month long
- Read the Christmas story from the Bible
- Have an Advent wreath at home and light a new candle each week
- Keep a memory book
Birthdays/Gotcha Days
- Fill the day with the child's favorite activities
- Decorate the cake together
- Have a special plate for the birthday meal
- Give a birthday minute kiss
- Say a blessing prayer
- Tie a ribbon on a tree or have a sign for the neighbors to see
Special Meals
- New Years - black eyed peas
- Super Bowl Sunday - Chili
- Birthdays - birthday kid's favorite meal
- 4th of July - Anything on the grill
- Christmas Eve - tamales & tortilla soup
- Christmas morning - waffles
- Family reunion - barbeque
Any Time/All the Time
- Sing a good morning song
- Read bedtime stories
- Say bedtime prayers
- Ask "What was the best part of the day?"
- Messages in chalk on the driveway or sidewalk
- Great big hugs and itty bitty hugs
- One-on-one dates with Mom or Dad
- Date night for Mom & Dad
- SHMILY's (See How Much I Love You)
- Decorate the house for each season/holiday/celebration
So, what's your favorite Family Tradition?
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