Family Traditions

Since Christmas is right around the corner, I can feel that extra twinkle of excitement in my life. Being that I was blessed with this overactive sense of daydreaming, every holiday {Ok mostly everyday} my thoughts are consumed with the idea of my pending family. Yesterday I was talking to a friend and the idea of having traditions came up. So I sat down and thought what are some traditions I hope to have with my future family and here they are:


Christmas: 
I love Christmas. As cliche as it sounds I love the giving of the holiday, I always have. It is also seemingly the largest holiday for traditions so here are some ideas: 

1. Matching Pjs
2. Making Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve
3. Elf on the Shelf 
4. Day of Random Acts of Kindness 
5. Watch Christmas Movies once a week
6.  Open one gift on Christmas Eve 
7. Have Cake on Christmas to celebrate Jesus' Birthday 
8. Read the True Christmas Story on Christmas Eve 
9. Christmas Eve Box
   
   • Ok this goes basically with 1 and 6. On Christmas Eve the gift they get contains their Christmas Pjs, Popcorn {For the Christmas Movie}, hot chocolate and various other small things 
10. Polar Express Night 
• After we watch Polar Express, sending the kids to bed early, just to wake them up and go look at lights with hot chocolate :)
11. Making Christmas Decorations
12. Allowing Kids to buy gifts for family members 
13. Family Photos/ Christmas Cards  
14. First snow {If I get snow} snowcream or milkshakes 
15. Christmas All Year Around: I saw this on another blog where instead of giving gifts to your spouse on one day, you give them like vouchers to use throughout the year such as date nights, tickets to various events, basically anything you can do just the two of you.  

Valentines Day 
So I was totally once into John and Kate Plus 8. Kate always seemed to make cute little memories with the kids on holidays. One was on Valentines Day was filling pouches for the kids with goodies on that day. I just thought it was a cute little tradition and a sweet way to incoporate the children into some aspects of Valentines Day :) 

Birthdays 
Alright, so technically birthdays aren't considered holidays. However I love other people's birthdays. I love giving gifts and just celebrating the life God has placed on this Earth. My grandmother was the queen of all traditions when it came us grandkids and she did a few on my list but I've added some too :) 

1. Giving the Kid the number of presents of their age (I.e turning 8, 8 gifts. On their 1st birthday giving them 12 for each month they were alive) 
2. Birthday Breakfast 
3. The house decorated regardless of having a party or not 
4. Child's favorite meal for dinner
5. Yes Day(I saw this on a Pinterest board, where on the Child's birthday every time they ask for something with in reason you say yes; i.e can we go to the movies->yes, can we eat dessert before dinner -> yes. 

Family Time 
         Traditions aren't just for holidays. I was very blessed with a great, close family even if we didn't have traditions. I love the idea though of coming together as a family and just familying (yes, I created that word. Judge me if you want) Here are some of my ideas of family time traditions 

1. Date Nights: I use to love going on date nights with my daddy. Him and I would get all dressed up, he would take me to dinner and then possibly a movie. I have also seen on Pinterest where moms and sons go on date nights, the father will get the son ready and teach him how to be chivalrous. Both father/daughter and mother/son date nights gives the opportunity for the child to learn how to be treated and how to treat others so when that time comes for dating they have been well prepared.  On the flip side, I feel it is important for mom and dad to also have date nights, whether it be going out to dinner or sending the kids out and having a night in. In my many {And I do me many} article I have read on marriage {Yes, I do believe marriage can't be based off just an article} one of the key components is keep that flame, so to speak, alive amongst mom and dad. Kids need to see their parents in love.  
2. Game Nights: I can really understand why my family hardly ever did this. Both my brother, dad and I are extremely competitive. The game never ended the way it should have, it usually ended when Sawyer cried. However with that being said I think it would be a blast to have game nights one a month or so.
3. Movie Nights: I always love watching movies with my family, it's a nice time to just sit and be together.
4. Family Kickball or any other team sport: Though we didn't have board game nights in my house, many times we did play extreme kickball. It was a blast to team up and play. I'd love to continue those traditions onward.
5. Dinner Time: Whenever the schedules meet up, my family has dinner time together. We shut out the world and are just together at the table. This my favorite time with my family to just sit and laugh and joke. 
6. Dancing to our First song: Like I said before, children need to see their parents in love. I was very blessed with the OBVIOUS love my parents have for each other. When I asked my facebook friends, my friend Meagan told me her and her husband dance every year on their anniversary to the song they danced their first dance to. I think that is absolutely precious.  

I know it is probably a few years off before I can create these traditions with my own family but it still excites me to think about it. What are some of your family traditions? 

 -Amanda :)