BridgeBox Family

Did you read the word ‘traditions’ and immediately sing it out like the song from Fiddler on the Roof? Maybe just me. Unlike the traditional roles they were singing about, I am talking/singing about making your own family traditions. Traditions can be fun or serious, but what makes them a tradition is that they repeatedly happen at the same time or when visiting the same place. Something seemingly insignificant can carry on forever in a child’s mind. 

One small tradition I shared with my mom while living in Georgia was that after visiting our local pet store (my mom had a collection of beautiful tropical fish), she would take me to a bakery that made the best gingerbread boys and girls cookies. I still crave those soft, warm cookies. Something that my family did that I continued to carry on is making birthdays really special. There’s usually a surprise in store, and my children always wake up to something fun in the morning (decorations, balloons, a gift, etc.). 

*Shout out to my son, Achilles – Yesterday was his 17th birthday! He woke up to a very long message on his mirror, a big present at his door, and a colorful banner hung in his hallway.

Holidays are a great time to invent traditions. This one mom I follow on social media has an Elf Day Dinner inspired by Will Farrel’s movie, Elf. First, she and her daughters get all dressed in elf attire. Then, she lays out a plastic tablecloth, cooks a bunch of spaghetti, and tosses it out on the table. Everyone closes their eyes and picks out a random utensil to eat the pasta with (I saw someone eating with a spatula), and they can top the spaghetti off with maple syrup, sprinkles, and candy if they so desire. To top off the meal, everyone gets a two liter bottle of soda to drink – burping is encouraged. At the end of the night, they watch the Elf movie.

Traditions are something that brings the family together. It creates opportunities for kids to experience magic in their lives (adults, too). Create your own traditions and decide what you can do together as a family that you will all love.