If finding some new Christmas traditions to share with family is important this holiday season, here are some heart-warming traditions to be done as a family that the children will enjoy.
Organize a food or clothes drive
Find a charity within your community that fights hunger or helps the needy and organize a food or clothes drive. Speak to someone in charge and let them know what day the items collected will be delivered. Taking a break from old traditions to do something positive will teach the children about thankfulness and goodwill. It will also teach children about proper approaches towards philanthropic activities. Collecting donated non-perishable food items could easily become a worthwhile tradition handed down from one generation to the next. Sing Christmas carols and share stories while collecting donations and finish the evening with cups of hot cocoa and warm conversation.
Plant a Christmas Tree
Great Britain cuts approximately eight million trees to decorate for the holidays. The United States cuts down between thirty-five and forty million trees for the Christmas season. These are just two of the many locations that celebrate Christmas with the traditional decorated tree. With this number of trees being cut, families should start a new tradition by planting a tree each Christmas. This tradition teaches children about their environment and giving back to nature. Plant a tree in the wild or in your own back yard for a wonderful memory that will literally last for years as families watch their tree grow big and fragrant. For an extra dose of fun, decorate the growing outdoor trees with lights each holiday season.
Visit a Nursing Home
Teach children to revere the gift of life and respect the elderly with a trip to the nursing home this holiday season. The residents are always so delighted at the smallest gesture. Because they are isolated from much of society, they rarely get the opportunity to enjoy the company of children. Children can make homemade Christmas cards or gifts from recycled items throughout the year for wonderful and inexpensive crafts the elderly will love. Reading a Christmas story is another great activity to share with the nursing home residents. Children will love choosing a special story to share, and reading aloud is wonderful practice.
Create and circulate a donation tin
Make a home made donation tin and have the children decorate it as they please, then after putting your own donation in the tin, circulate it around your guests, family and friends during Christmas or New Year’s dinner and lunch. Spend time counting the money with the children and just before they return to school accompany them to donate the money collected to their favourite charity.
These are just a few of the many things families can do together at Christmas time. These activities would make wonderful Christmas traditions to celebrate for years and years to come. Raise children to understand the right reasons celebrate the holidays and what they are truly all about. Christmas is about helping others and remembering those who are lonely, hungry or in need of shelter. Christmas is also about being thankful for nature and its grand beauty, and realizing what a blessing it is to have a family to love and spend time with.