Give the Gift of Tradition

I grew up in a family that is deeply rooted in tradition—from the faith-based summer camp activities at our grandparents’ house, to the dishes we eat from every Thanksgiving, to the special moments we share each Christmas. I know that starting and maintaining new rituals can seem daunting, but it’s worth the trouble. If you need some ideas, take a page from my family’s memory book, and you might find something that works for you.

Go to Church
Attending church together on Christmas Eve is the perfect way to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many churches hold candlelight services that are beautiful in their simplicity and keep the focus on what truly matters. Consider inviting the group over for dinner afterward. 

Have a Party
Every year, my grandparents hosted an extended family dinner party on Christmas Eve. We’d drive to their house, visit church together and hear my grandparents sing in the choir, and then head back for the festivities. The home was full of people, food, and laughter. Every inch of it was covered with Mimi’s decorations: red and green items, glittery baubles, and Nativity scenes. Toward the end of the night, we sang carols around the piano.

Get Silly
Each year, my cousins and I took pictures outside in my grandparents’ front yard, posing with their life-sized Nativity scene and hand-painted Christmas carolers my grandfather made. Your silly tradition? Maybe start a Christmas morning scavenger hunt. Or let the kids make breakfast for the adults. Have breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve. The possibilities are endless.

Find the Christmas Pickle
On Christmas morning, some families, including mine, hide a pickle ornament on the tree or somewhere around the house. The first of the kids (even if those “kids” are well into their 20s) to find the pickle wins a little prize. When I’ve told some people that my family does this, they thought I was crazy. But I guess it’s more mainstream than I thought—you can buy pickle ornaments at most holiday stores!

Read the Christmas Story
We love to read the Christmas story from the Bible. My Pop would gather all the kids on his lap and read the story to us, moving the pieces of his wooden Nativity set as he told the story. One year, Joseph and the wisemen kept toppling over on the table while us kids giggled and giggled, but we made it through! I know the story is more special to all of us because of these memories.

Pass Down Special Pieces
One of my favorite traditions my grandparents started for us was giving us each a Nativity set. My grandparents collected them over their more than 60 years of marriage and displayed them on just about every available surface during the hoildays. When each grandchild gets engaged to be married, they get to choose one to display in their new home. I love to bring mine out each Christamas and remember it was a loving gift from my grandparents.

Embrace that Change is OK
As us grandkids have grown up, moved out on our own, and started our adult lives, the traditions have changed. We don’t spend Christmas Eve together anymore, going to bed in matching pajamas, and bounding down the stairs Christmas morning. These days, we set aside a weekend during the holiday season to get together instead, with no conflicting distractions or festivities. We now play bingo, complete with prizes and lots of good-spirited competition. We stay up late chatting in the living room, and cram into guest rooms so we can all stay close. We get up the next morning and treat it like December 25th—Christmas pjs, bedhead, and all! We still exchange gifts and hunt for the Christmas pickle, and we love it that our spouses get to join in.

Perfection is not the point—it’s making the most joyous season just that much more special for loved ones and creating memories for years to come.

In that spirit, we asked some DaySpring employees what their favorite Christmas traditions are to help give you more ideas to start your own.

Licensing and Legal Specialist Missy Gregory said her best childhood memories of Christmas are going to her grandparents’ house for Christmas Eve. Her papa cut a fresh cedar tree from their farm, and they decorated it with homemade ornaments. “It always smelled so good,” she said. “My grandparents' house was a small farmhouse, and all 22 of us gathered in their living room. By the time we were done opening our gifts, there was always a sea  of wrapping paper.”

Leanna Sevak, an Email Marketing Specialist, loves to shop early, right after Halloween. “When I see something that I know someone would love, I buy it and set it aside until we put up the tree. I wrap as I go and place the gifts under the tree. I also wrap gifts for my sisters and their families most of the time, so getting my gifts done early helps me stress less when I get theirs.”

Digital Media Marketing Strategist Anna Rendell gives  her kids new Christmas jammies every year. “We go to  my mom’s and celebrate with my family on Christmas Eve, and after the festivities have waned and it’s time to go home, I pull out the new jammies and get the kids changed before we pile in the van. It’s so helpful for my planning, and I love knowing that they’ll be cute for pictures on Christmas morning.” 

Kim Marquette, VP of Marketing, had to create her own traditions along the way. “Neither my husband nor I have siblings, so we had to be intentional about creating our own family through the friends and community around us. We host an annual cookie contest as well as a full-blown Christmas event every year with other families. There are now over 30 of us, ranging in age from infants to over 60. It started as an ornament exchange, but now we have a talent show as well. It’s hilarious! We always sing “The Twelve Days of Christmas”—each group performs one of the 12 verses. 

What are your family traditions? Tell us in the comments below! You can also shop our full collection of gifts, decor, and resources to help your family celebrate Christmas this season here.