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Some of the previous generations did a better job than we do with building family traditions. The next time your extended family gets together, take note of how much of the conversation isc entered around family traditions and stories. You may here the same stories at each get together – but these traditions and their stories create family togetherness. Traditions are important for families because they provide opportunities to keep your family legacy going. From the simple to the silly to the sentimental, traditions can create meaningful memories. As a parent, one of your jobs is to look for ways to promote special moments and traditions for your family – ones that will create special family memories that your kids will keep forever.

Here are some ideas for creating traditions in your home:

Family Fun Nights. This could be a weekly or monthly time when the family comes together to have fun. You can do the old standbys (movies, dinner or picnics), or you can be more creativea nd make up your own traditions and family fun times.

One-On-One Times. In our home, we call these "dates". These are the times when Rebecca and I go out for Mexican food or Christy and I take in a play or Heidi takes me surfing. I find that some of my most fruitful conversations with the girls happen during our monthly one-on-one times.

Service Projects or Mission Trips. Many families draw closer together and get strength from serving together. Our church sponsors family mission trips to Mexico and Ecuador–families comeback glowing. Serving together can be just the experience to develop an even stronger family bond. Our family regularly visits a local rest home and a women’s shelter. These trips are worth the energy and effort.

Holiday Traditions. Holidays can be stressful, but if you build in special family events that become traditions, you will be developing lifelong, positive memories. Fifteen years ago, we noticed that a few people from our church had nowhere to go on Christmas Eve, so we spontaneously invited them to our home after the Christmas Eve service. On the way home I called a Chinese restaurant and ordered takeout. Every year since then we have people over on Christmas Eve, and we always order Chinese takeout. We asked our girls this past year if we should change what we eat. They were insulted! For more ideas on creating Christmas traditions, read the article, 20 Memorable Family Christmas Traditions – and 5 You’d Rather Forget. You can find it in the articles section of the HomeWord website.

Vacations and Adventures. You don’t have to be rich to create great family vacations and adventures. Our kids know that every Easter vacation we will go to the beach, just like they know that each child gets to choose a family adventure when she graduates from high school.

(Excerpted and adapted from the book, The 10 Building Blocks for a Happy Family by Jim Burns, Ph.D. Click here to order a copy.)

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