Ask anyone about the Christmas traditions that his family had as he was growing up, and you are sure to get an earful of stories. We all have Christmas traditions that were near and dear to us as children and many of us have instilled those same traditions in their own families as well.

Traditions are important because they instill a sense of family identity and offer family members a few routines that they can count on the midst of the busy holiday season. Christmas traditions are also some of the most effective ways to build warm holiday memories throughout the years.

Some Christmas traditions are similar from family to family. For example, many families like to spend a day or evening together trimming the tree. Watching holiday movies is another popular tradition for many families. It’s funny how we never get tired of watching the classics like “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “White Christmas”, and “Miracle on 34th Street” over and over again every single year. Many families also like to make a Christmas tradition out of some of the holiday chores like baking cookies, wrapping gifts or hanging outdoor lights. These Christmas traditions bring families closer together and offer a sense of continuity throughout the years when it comes to the holiday season.

How to Create your own Traditions

Creating your own Christmas traditions is not hard to do, but it does require some advanced planning and a commitment from everyone in your family. Set aside a night to decorate sugar cookies together. Put on the Christmas CD’s, light a fire in the fire place, and get down and dirty with the frostings and sugar sprinkles. It is almost a guarantee that every family member will have fun. Another great family Christmas tradition is to grab cups of cocoa to go with a few blankets and cozy up in the car for an evening of Christmas light viewing.

Other Christmas traditions can revolve around the spirit of the season, you can attend Christmas services at your church with your whole family.  You activities might be giving to others less fortunate. Spend an afternoon as a family helping at a local soup kitchen or volunteer your time to read and play with kids at a neighborhood hospital. There are also opportunities available to “adopt” a family for Christmas, which means that you provide gifts for all of the family members, and perhaps the food for a Christmas feast. This is an ideal Christmas tradition to bring extended family members together in the spirit of giving.

There are so many choices in Christmas traditions that you can build with your own family that you are sure to find a handful that all of your family members love. Merry Christmas!