Most families have holiday traditions, regardless of what holiday you are celebrating.  Even when we grow up and form our own families, we naturally merge our new traditions with some of the old.

The tradition that survives is that they always spend the holidays with family, and this bonds them despite all the chaos. It seems that traditions, new or old, have a strong place in our hearts. Holiday traditions become an essential aspect of how we celebrate, and there is a reason why we keep them as a part of our lives for so long. Simply put we hold onto holiday traditions because they add meaning to our celebrations, and help bond us to those we love.

Holiday traditions are essentially ritualistic behaviors that nurture us and our relationships. They are primal parts of us, which have survived since the dawn of man. Traditional celebrations of holidays has been around as long as recorded history. Holiday traditions are an important part to building a strong bond between family, and our community. They give us a sense of belonging and a way to express what is important to us. They connect us to our history and help us celebrate generations of family. Most people can say, “Oh this was great grandma’s table cloth we always used for Thanksgiving” or “I remember stringing popcorn with my mom when I was young”. They keep the memories of the past alive and help us share them with newer generations.

Although holiday traditions are usually the first thing people think of when you mention traditions, they are not the only ones families have. Whether its stringing popcorn for the Christmas tree, watching the Thanksgiving Day parade while the turkey cooks, building sand castles every summer or regularly having family movie night, they are a family ritual that brings children and parents closer. These moments create positive memories for the whole family and provide positive events for everyone to anticipate!

Not every family is lucky enough to have traditions, but that’s ok. That just gives you the freedom to start creating your own! With the holidays coming, it is the perfect excuse to start trying new things! Most holiday celebrations in every culture focus on teaching traditions, history, and the reason a group of people cares for one another. Teaching children about the holidays of other cultures helps them to see that no matter what differences we all have, we also have many things in common, such as:

• Family: Most holiday celebrations are times when extended families gather together to enjoy special food, traditions and one another.
• Respect: Most cultures use holiday celebrations to honor their history and past.
• Love: Most celebrations include special foods, enjoyable activities and a special focus on children.