The holiday season goes hand-in-hand with family traditions. For some families, it may include religious or spiritual traditions. It looks different for everyone and it may include putting up special decorations throughout the house while enjoying festive music; many also give of their time and/or give gifts, bake yummy treats, and my favourite – simply sharing a few meals with family and friends.

Just like most things, some of my most cherished memories are just that – memories! I have noticed a few changes as my kids grow older.  As my kids become teens, it’s even more important for me to be intentional about maintaining meaningful traditions.

The good news is that I’ve discovered older kids still love traditions. Some are the same, like decorating the tree, but others are brand new. We love starting new traditions and rituals – just us!

We were always so busy trying to fit in visits to grandparents, cousins, friends, etc. that we often forgot about our family, so we started a new tradition: it’s called fondue night! I didn’t know this would become an annual tradition, but it has. We all sit around the table listening to music, eating and chatting (with no electronics, and amazingly no wiggling to get out of there) – just much needed family time. We end the night with a holiday movie and BAM! that’s how we started our new holiday tradition. It might not sound like much, but it’s something we all look forward to.

Share your favourite traditions with us.

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