Holiday Traditions for Thanksgiving & Christmas
Best Ever Traditions of Family, Food & Holiday Entertaining Ideas
Nov 2, 2009
In the United States and Canada, the most celebrated and travelled times of year are the Thanksgiving season and the Christmas season. Take some time to plan for each to be as memorable as it can be. Include holiday activities, respect for old family traditions and the introduction of new holiday entertaining ideas that can be passed down through generations.
Holiday Activities, Games for Children and Free Kids Coloring Pages
Everyone will agree it is a challenge to keep the holiday spirit and holiday memories happy when there are children who are feeling bored and left out. Plan ahead with some kids party ideas and holiday party games and the time will fly by.
Contact all those on the guest list for the upcoming holiday celebrations. Ask what are the favorite activities for children attending and make a list; there will probably be duplicates but that will just make things easier. Put together a plan and set aside space in the home for these activities to take place.
In the event that there isn't enough input, be ready with a few pre-planned activities:
- Download and print some free Thanksgiving pictures or free Christmas pictures for the kids to color; tack them to the dining room wall when done to 'decorate' for dinner
- Download a free Thanksgiving turkey picture,enlarge it and color it ahead of time; cut out some turkey feathers, color them and play a game of Pin the Tail Feathers on the Turkey with the younger children
- If football is a tradition to watch during family holiday celebrations, make a variation of the Turkey Tail game to the Pin the Football in the End Zone game for half-time and have all the men play
- If there isn't one in the house, solicit one of the guests to bring along a video game system for the older children; set up a tournament scoreboard on the wall and have a competition amongst the children and adults (Nintendo Wii works well for this)
- Have fresh cranberries, needles and nylon thread ready to make strings of the holiday fruit for decorating the holiday table and/or Christmas tree
Holiday Traditions can be Challenges to Maintain a Sense of Fun
Preparing a holiday feast is a huge undertaking with so many individual tastes to cater to. Why not get together with the other cooks on the guest list and start a new tradition?
What about increasing the number of various vegetable dishes made, by one, each year? If the family is big on sweets and after-dinner fare, how about a holiday tradition of just one more dessert this year and add an additional one each holiday? New additions will become old favorites over time and even the fussiest of eaters will find a way to indulge.
Have the making of dinner be a truly family event. Designate someone to create garnishes, another to decorate the table, from folding napkins to adding the holiday touches. Have one person in charge of keeping the coffee and tea cups full and still another to set out and clear the appetizer and snack trays and serving dishes.
Sharing the work, responsibility and preparation will ensure a good time for all as everyone will have a hand in making the day wonderful.
Make Holiday Memories Last With Family Photos From Yesterday and Today
Deputize one of the guests as the Official Photographer of Holiday Photos. Be sure there are photos of everyone in every situation from preparing dinner to cheering the home team to coloring pictures to setting and decorating the dinner table. The work on this project begins once all of the guests have left.
Develop all of the photos and put them into a photo album just large enough for the holidays. Mark the album Thanksgiving 2009 or Christmas 2009 (or incorporate both in the same album). When the next holiday season approaches, go through the photos, remembering what the successes were and what needs rethinking.
Be sure to keep the album out on the table for all to look through. Everyone will enjoy seeing how much the children have grown since last year or remember how terrible the weather was or what the score was for that great game. Scrapbookers will enjoy doing this in scrapbook fashion, complete with captions and details.
Start a Holiday Tradition of 'There's Always Room for One More"...
It is important to remember those who are unable to spend a traditional holiday celebration with family and loved ones. This is the idea behind room for one more. It's a wonderful opportunity to show children how to think of others and how a selfless act can make all the difference in another's life.
Set an extra place at the dinner table for the special holiday guest. This could be a business associate who was unable to get a flight home due to inclement weather, a teacher from your child's school who lives alone without nearby family or an elderly friend or relative who needs extra encouragement to venture out and spend time with others.
Whomever the guest might be, have a family delegation invite and pick up this individual to join the family fun. Be sure to include a child and, if old enough, have the child verbally deliver the invitation in his or her own words. There are few holiday traditions that will be remembered as well as this one and the stories told during future celebrations will almost certainly include the special holiday guest adventure.
Holiday memories and traditions are about making the time special and anticipated by all. Be sure to include everyone in the planning for a holiday season that will be fondly remembered for years to come.
Related articles on Christmas and the holidays:
Best Citrus Fruit Punch Recipe for The Holidays
Decorating Tips for Christmas Trees With a Theme
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