By Cheralyn Barrington, Layout Editor
They differ from person to person. They happen once a year. They bring joy and consistency to people of all ages. Holiday traditions can be a wonderful way to bring friends and family together and can make the holiday season even more enjoyable. There are many staple Christmas traditions such as tree-trimming, gift wrapping, and a lavish meal. In addition to these typical treats, there are many unique and fun traditions to begin this year. Here are 25 of the many potential traditions:
1. Purchase an advent calendar – count down from the first of December until Christmas with a piece of chocolate for each day.
2. Catch as many Christmas specials and Christmas movies on television as possible: ABC Family’s 25 days of Christmas plays films and television shows to count down the days until Christmas. Watch them with friends and family yearly.
3. Collect clothing or other unneeded household items and donate them to the Salvation Army.
4. Purchase a yearly gift to donate to Toys for Tots. This can help to make another person’s Christmas special.
5. Give Christmas cards to family, friends, and neighbors.
6. For the ladies: plan a weekend trip with female friends or family members to focus on Christmas shopping. This will provide a yearly bonding experience and can make Christmas shopping easier.
7. Take photos from the holiday season, old and new, and make a holiday scrapbook. Add more pictures each year.
8. Bake an assortment of Christmas treats: cookies, treats, fudges, and cakes. Many recipes can be found online.
9. Have a wrapping party. Wrapping presents can seem tedious and overwhelming if there are many presents to be wrapped. Invite a few friends or family members over to wrap gifts. Order a pizza or Chinese and pop in a Christmas movie.
10. Get a photo with Santa. No one is ever too old to take a nice photo with Santa. Grab a few friends and go to the local mall. Split the cost of the photo and scan it for multiple copies.
11. Write a letter to Santa. Northpole.com has a letter writing program. Send Santa a letter on the site and receive one back within a few days. Northpole.com also contains games and many holiday treat recipes.
12. Since buying Christmas presents for a large extended family can be costly, suggest a Secret Santa where each person draws a name out of a hat. The name they get is the family member they must buy a gift for. Cap the price at 25 or 50 dollars.
13. If there is a tree farm within the area, going to pick one out can be a family affair. This can be a nice alternative to synthetic trees.
14. Drive around to different neighborhoods and look for Christmas lights. Give your eyes a treat.
15. Caroling. This is an old tradition that seems fairly uncommon now. Grab some friends to go door to door with.
16. Purchase a pair of pajamas for each immediate family member each year and take Christmas photos in them.
17. Get each immediate family member an ornament that correlates with an interest of theirs.
18. Let each family member open their ornament and pajamas on Christmas Eve.
19. Go to a live nativity – often churches will have them.
20. Go to a Christmas Eve midnight mass.
21. Put up stockings for family, even pets, and stuffing them.
22. Some people go to a different place for Christmas each year and make a vacation out of Christmas.
23. Write a line or two of poetry on the outside of each wrapped present – the words will serve as a clue to what the present may be.
24. Video tape Christmas morning, the memory will be immortalized.
25. Have each family member light a candle after Christmas dinner. As superstition goes, the longer the candle stays lit, the more luck the next year will bring. Light a candle in memory of deceased family members.
Continue making memories and holiday traditions throughout the year. Happy Holidays!
