The Habit of Having Family Traditions

Tradition- (Free online Dictionary)

1. The passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation, especially by oral communication.

2. a. A mode of thought or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation; a custom or usage.b. A set of such customs and usages viewed as a coherent body of precedents influencing the present: followed family tradition in dress and manners. See Synonyms at heritage.

3. A body of unwritten religious precepts.

4. A time-honored practice or set of such practices.

Family traditions are fun, comforting, predictable, peaceful, joyful, memorable, beneficial, important, valuable  and easy. Having family traditions are normal and I would think most families have at least a few that continue to get past down from one generation to the next. Holidays are an easy time to create family traditions. You don’t have to have a lot of traditions throughout the year or even at the holidays but having one or two that have a spiritual foundation to them I think can be extremely valuable to a family. I also think it’s good to have one or two family traditions that are just plain ol’ FUN!! So think about what Truth, family heritage, thought, belief, trait, behaviour and fun you want to pass on to your children and find or create an activity that can become your family tradition. One word of caution do not become a slave to a tradition. At some point it may be beneficial to drop one, change one or even start a new one.

Please consider sharing with us some of your family traditions. It doesn’t have to be Christmas tradition, just share any family tradition that you have that is very important to you. Thank you!!

Check out my Advent/Christmas Family Traditions post  HERE

A day in the life of my family while we celebrate Advent and Christmas:

In the morning sometime after breakfast we have our Jesse Tree Devotion, hang that days ornament on  the Jesse Tree and pray together and maybe even sing a Christmas Carol or two.

On and off during the morning hours we listen to all types of Christmas music.

Sometime after lunch I read to the boys from the Advent Story: Jotham’s Journey

In the morning or afternoon I will read one or two Christmas books to the boys, they get to take turns choosing the book or books.

In the afternoon we continue to on and off listen to Christmas music.

Most late afternoons will be time to work on creating Christmas Cards, ornaments, doing various Christmas activities,wrapping presents, baking cookies, etc. During this time we will listen to Christmas music or an audio Christmas story.

Right after dinner while we are at the dinner table we will have our Advent devotion, light a candle from the advent wreath, sing one or two Christmas Carols and pray together.

Most evenings will be spent watching a Christmas movie, special, cartoon, etc as a family.

When the opportunity arises we will go see a Live Nativity Presentation, A Christmas Play, Participate in a Christmas  building project at Home Depot or Lowes,  Go to a local Christmas Tree Lightening, A local Festival of Trees, finish up the Christmas shopping (only have a few left to get =), maybe even go see the ‘big’ man (yes, my kids still believe), go to our church Christmas party, maybe go see a Christmas movie at the theater, spend time with family and friends and drive around and see Christmas lights (my boys love this)!