Ideas for Creating Unique Family Holiday Traditions

Think back to some of your favorite Christmas memories. Are there any family holiday traditions that you still cherish to this day? If you are looking for some fun, holiday traditions to share with family and friends, here are some ideas to get you started.

A gingerbread house by Bethaney Rogers, our pastry lead.

1. Create a family Christmas book. Get a photo album and designate a few pages to that year’s Christmas. Include festive family photos, fun memories from that year, fun cards, and other sentimental touches. Each year, add another few pages to capture the memories from that year.

2. Embark on a family vacation. In the article “12 Holiday Tradition Ideas to Bring Families Together,” writer K. Stone shares the idea of skipping the gifts and opting for a family vacation instead. Stone recommends embarking on a tropical vacation, visiting a wintry ski resort, or doing any other special activity that your family can dream up. The idea is to enjoy a family “experience” rather than making the holiday gift-focused.

3. See Christmas lights. This one is a favorite on many people’s lists. Make a list of locations that are known for their vibrant and colorful light displays, grab some hot chocolate, and venture out for some Christmas light sightseeing! You can even make a holiday music tunes list to enjoy along with the lights.

4. Try a holiday tradition from another culture. This season, teach your family about how other cultures celebrate the holidays. On the blog Mom It Forward, Lori Tryer provides ideas for how to do this, including ideas from cultures in China, France, and Germany. For example, in China, Christmas trees are referred to as “trees of light.” You never know what you and your family may learn!

5. Create a Christmas Eve scavenger hunt. On Christmas Eve, allow each family member to open just one gift, but make finding this gift an adventure with a scavenger hunt! Write out fun clues for where the gifts are hidden, and then reconvene around the tree to open them.

6. Hole up in a coffee shop. On a chilly day, grab a friend or your significant other and head to a local coffee shop to enjoy a yummy seasonal beverage. Some traditional favorites are warm mugs filled with peppermint mocha or hot cocoa–or ask the barista to create something new and holiday-themed.

7. Make holiday cookies. Clear an afternoon for a fun time of baking yummy cookies! Play holiday music and sip a great red wine with mulling spices to make the experience even more festive.

8. Send a card to somebody who might be lonely. Many people are unable to visit friends and family during the holiday season. This article on iVillage.com recommends sending cards to military personnel or those in nursing homes, but you can send a card to anybody that you know who may be in need of some holiday cheer.

9. Create a gingerbread house. Gather some friends and goodies and construct festive gingerbread houses! Be creative, and then eat your house–or add it to the holiday décor in your home.

This season, make time to create valuable holiday memories with friends and family. Garden of the Gods Club Members and Lodge guests enjoy a variety of special events during the holiday season. Events like the Polar Express Pajama Party, Holiday Lunch Buffets, and Charles Dickens Candlelight Dinner really add to the spirit of the season by bringing people together. To learn more about membership at GGC, we encourage you to contact Membership Director Tracey Kalata at 719.520.4980 or tkalata@ggclub.com.

Are there any holiday traditions to which you and your family look forward each year? If so, we invite you to share them in the comments box below. Happy holidays!