The Holiday season is brimming with many opportunities to create meaningful memories with your kids. As society becomes more centered on creating curated snapshots and pricey gifts, it’s incredibly important to remember that the Holiday season is not about the material gifts but rather meaningful moments that they will remember until they are older. Associating good memories with the Holiday season can be quite daunting but here are a few tips that will help you kick off what will be your best Christmas season ever.
Attend events together.
The season are just brimming with many events that are free that you can enjoy with your family. You do not have to spend a ton (or at all!) to make memories. In fact, many towns have parades, plays, shows, and concerts that you and your children will enjoy. Filling the days with memories will help your children better understand that the Holidays are more than just what they get under the tree but memories they create with family.
Create realistic expectations.
Do not set up yourself to fail instead set up you and your family to succeed. This can be done by anticipating that everyone’s holiday behavior may be different than their regular behavior and this could mean that your kids may be a little more energetic than usual so choose activities that anticipate that behavior to avoid frustration, disappointment, and stress. Analyze what they can handle and what they cannot and choose activities that the whole family can enjoy minor the stress related to the holidays.
Focus on meaningful conversations.
Engage your family in meaningful conversation instead of simply talking about the day-to-day things. The holidays are the perfect time to really sit down and engage with each other. It’s so easy to get lost in the mundane conversations of the day but it is always fulfilling to take a step back from daily conversation such as one’s to-do list or homework list and really ask how your child is doing. This behavior will allow them to engage in asking you more meaningful conversations as well.
Be thankful and give back.
Find ways to give back to the community by asking your children to do some Holiday Cleaning. This will be a great way to clean up your home while also teaching them about generosity during this season. Soon, your children will associate this activity with the season and they will be looking forward to sharing their toys, clothes, and other Knick knacks with the less fortunate. This also allows them to be grateful for what they have which is a great virtue to have during the holidays and every day.
Appreciate each moment.
The season always goes by so fast and therefore it is important to take a step back and really relish each moment. Moments are made sweeter when we stop thinking of what the holidays should be or look like. When we accept the moment for what it is instead of thinking of the next activity or next party, we fall into the joy of the season and appreciate it for what it really is with the ones closest to us.