Traditions Help Make Christmas A Special and Meaningful Celebration for Kids
No matter how your family celebrates the holiday season, traditions have a special part in the appeal and magic of Christmas for children. Christmas is one of the most popular and celebrated holidays on the planet so it’s understandable that traditions will be a unique blend for each family.
There are a variety of different traditions around each family’s Christmas tree. Some families go out and get their own, perhaps in the woods or at a tree farm, or choosing one at a store or fund raiser. Others have a tree tucked carefully in a box in storage. Ornaments and other decorations may be used over and over each year, some even being passed down in families for a few generations. Part of the magic for kids are the stories about some of these ornaments and the tree. Is there a decoration that a parent made in school on your tree? We have a gingerbread man made out of a cookie and varnish craft that has a bite out if it. After all, kids know these are cookies. What would one be doing on a tree? As we decorate the tree, we tell the story of whose teeth marks are forever part of the ornament.
Different countries have gift bringers other than Santa and these traditions may be reflected in family fun. Certainly there are different favorite dishes other than turkey such as tamales, pyroghys, seven fishes, goose, meat pies, desserts such as trifles, and an amazing global selection of cookies. Candles and lights are included in Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah, and Solstice, recognizing the diversity of families and the universal need for light, for bodies and minds. Only in some places, is snow really covering the ground. In Australia, kangaroos may be pulling the sleigh instead of reindeer. Songs and music are often family favorites too and in many languages.
These are only a few of the traditions that might be part of the celebration. The ones in your family will become the traditions for future generations. Your children will remember and blend them in new ways as families mix and mingle. What are some of the traditions in your celebration at this time of year?