Presents or Presence?
When my oldest daughter began spending time with her high school boyfriend’s family, she announced, “We don’t have any traditions.
The best gift you can exchange in your family is time. Some of my favorite gifts of all time have been certificates for experiences and deeds done together.
Give them three gifts from Santa and spend the rest of the day cultivating a holiday tradition that will last long after the batteries die out from the high-tech gifts. Here are some of my favorite simple traditions.
- Take a long walk in the woods or in a park on Christmas Day.
- Make a special treat together, like cinnamon buns, Christmas cookies or hot cocoa.
- Build a fire inside or out and sing carols and other songs. Kids of all ages LOVE fire. Even if it’s frigid outside, spend some time together gathering firewood and creating the fire pit. This memory will last much longer than any gift you will ever purchase.
- Play some games together that don’t require electricity. Cards, dodge ball, ping-pong, board games, charades, make up a skit, let your imagination go.
- Do a craft together, even if it’s messy. Keep it simple or not. Have fun.
Be present with your kids. SHUT OFF your electronics when you’re with them and ask them for the same courtesy.
Slow down and make the days last. It might seem like your kids will never grow up. The days will morph into years, and they will leave home sooner than you can believe. Childhood will be sealed in a time capsule that can never be revised. The special memories can be retrieved and relived.
What are some of your family traditions?
PS — If you have a difficult child, spending 5 to 15 minutes a day with him or her can dramatically change your relationship and their behavior. Choose the positive attention as prevention, instead of negative detention afterwards.
Explore posts in the same categories: Family meetings, family traditions, holidaysTags: christmas, connection, family meetings, Hannukah, parenting about, positive parenting, presents, raising children
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December 19, 2011 at 2:28 pm
We had many tradiutions when our children were young. Christmas light rides around neighborhoods, the Church live nativity with each of the kids playing parts, stretching out the anticipation, waffle sundays for breakfast and a treasure hunt as a last gift for a different person in the family each year.
Now tht our kids are older we have set aside some of these to have an adult traditions Christmas. We celebrate in ME, still have waffel breakfast sundays, treasure hunt, attend Portland programs like Snow Queen. Hopefully these older memories will be as warmly remembered as those from their younger years.
Thanks for your work
KKB
December 20, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Waffles, yummmm.
December 24, 2011 at 1:30 am
3 presents!?!?…shhh…don’t tell my kids! They get 1 present from santa and a stocking…We practice electronic free xmas’ and save ourselves the headaches of black friday pepper spray!