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Written by Dawn Alsept

In years to come, when the twinkling lights of your family’s tree become that of your children’s children, the traditions you have now will become a part of the season.  Often, traditions are born in the most unexpected ways, and those always have the best stories to go with them.  If your children are still young it seems that in as little as 2-3 holiday seasons you can create a tradition that may well stick for many future generations.  You will be smiling for years to come so here are 6 holiday traditions to start now, and we will leave Santa out this time.

6 Holiday Traditions to Start Now (that don’t involve Santa)

6 Holiday Traditions to Start Now (That Don't Involve Santa) | amotherworld.com

Gingerbread

Whether you are Betty Crocker’s nemesis and you whip up the dough by hand, or you are a modern mom and you stop by Walmart for a kit, make it an annual tradition to have a day of decorating gingerbread homes.  If you want to skip the houses, go for gingerbread men complete with icing buttons and eyes. The smell of the baking gingerbread is a memory that will be forever imprinted on your children’s hearts.

Cocoa Car ride

From the time they can hold a sippy cup you can plan an evening of cruising to look at light displays with cocoa in hand.  It is fun to get a homemade recipe for stovetop hot cocoa and then load the travel mugs for a warm and toasty ride.  Play a game of rate the displays for the older kids and find which neighbor gets the award for the best light display.

Stringing popcorn

An old tradition that likely stemmed from leaner years, you can bring it back with a twist.  If you don’t want the popcorn laden Christmas tree in your foyer, simply make gifts for the birds.  For younger fingers that may have trouble with the popcorn kernels string cranberries that your feathered friends can nibble.

Pajamas

No matter what your Christmas morning plans, everyone loves a new pair of pajamas, make it a Christmas Eve tradition to give each of the kids a new pair of pajamas for the morning.

Quarter rolls

When the excitement threatens to burst through your children’s very beings, let an early gift be a roll of quarters and a trip to your local arcade or Chuck E Cheese.  This was an accidental tradition in our home that has now been ongoing for 10 plus years.  It allows the children to run amuck and get some of their pent of energy out while giving mom and dad a brief reprieve.

Counting Candy

You must be well stocked with gourmet candy canes in all flavors for this one.  Let your child count down the days to Christmas with a candy cane a day.  If you prefer not to hunt down a myriad of flavors, simply Pinterest candy cane ideas and arm yourself before beginning the 12 days of candy cane counting.

Whatever traditions you begin today may well last for generations to come.  For most of us, it is the memories that linger for years that we hold so very dear.  Create the unique and fabulous and then have fun telling the stories for years to come.

 

Dawn is the homeschooling mom to 6 of God’s blessings and the wife to a husband she counts as her best friend.  She and her husband enjoy life on a small family farm where they strive to grow their own food, raise their own livestock, and homestead to the best of a modern day family’s ability. Though she loved running a homesteading blog for years,  at www.incidentalfarmgirl.com, she discovered a new passion with the birth of her 6th child who surprised the family with a Down Syndrome diagnosis at birth.  Now she spends her free time writing, advocating, and sharing stories to bring awareness to Down Syndrome at www.cedarsstory.com.