Family traditions can be the foundation for the creation of lifelong memories. A lot of times people have the misconception that family traditions revolve around holidays and special occasions such as anniversaries and birthdays. While those special times provide opportunities to begin or continue family traditions, they are certainly not the only situations where memory-making opportunities arise.

Annual Vacations

A family vacation is a tradition that gives everyone something to look forward to. To make the vacation feel more family-inclusive you can start a vacation fund and have every family member contribute to it. You can also let the kids help decide where to go on vacation. You can narrow the options down to a few that are affordable and let the kids vote on their choice.

Themed Meals

Another tradition that the whole family can participate in is a monthly themed meal. The theme could be foods eaten in a different country, a certain color theme or whatever a family member can think up. You could expand the celebration beyond the dinner table by watching a movie related to the theme or having everyone wear clothes that coincide with the chosen theme.

Celebrating Quirky, Unusual Special Days

There are online sites and books that have a lengthy list of special days to celebrate. The list includes things such as peanut butter day, backward day, National Bird Day, lucky penny day and many other special days that give you and your family an opportunity to celebrate. Searching for a day to celebrate can be a family project.

Surprise Someone

There are certain days throughout the year when family members and friends exchange gifts. While those occasions should be celebrated and the gifts are appreciated, there’s something extra special about receiving an unexpected gift. You could make it a tradition to gather together as a family once a month to select a friend, family member or neighbor to surprise with a gift. The willow tree collection, with its extensive variety of gift ideas, is an excellent resource for gifts for specific occasions and for those “just because” moments when you want to encourage someone or simply let them know you’re thinking about them.

Family traditions are a wonderful way to strengthen family bonds. They provide lifelong memories. Creating new and unique traditions give your family something to celebrate between those typical annual holidays and birthdays.