Children love the holiday season, partly because they may receive gifts, but also because of the opportunities to create memories with loved ones and honor family traditions.
Doing established fun activities with relatives may boost your child’s mood. If they’re allowed to contribute to family traditions, they may gain a deeper sense of pride and belonging. And when traditions encompass gratitude, your child may feel happier and closer to you, with greater self-esteem. All of this builds good mental health.
Holiday traditions can be fluid. You don’t have to follow practices that don’t feel right anymore, and you can choose to add new, meaningful traditions to your celebrations. When children help create family rituals that may be followed for generations, they may realize that they’re an important part of the family.
How Can I Build Meaning and Purpose into Holiday Traditions?
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Let them help with holiday preparations. Every year, you may bake cookies, hang decorations or send holiday cards by yourself. Ask your child to help you make cookie dough or stuff cards into envelopes. It may slow down your pace, but you’ll make memories together, and your child will be proud of their contributions.
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Explain why you follow certain traditions. This can be especially valuable if you’re from a diverse religious or cultural background. Research shows that children whose parents promote cultural pride (or racial-ethnic socialization) are more likely to have higher self-esteem and identify more strongly with their cultural identity.
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Discuss longtime family traditions. Let your children in on some of your family’s history. When did your family start hanging popcorn garland on your tree or letting each family member light their own menorah? When possible, include details about relatives who are no longer around, so that your children feel connected to their past.
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Have your child personalize old traditions. Let them decide which cookie-cutters to bake with, which holiday songs to sing or when to hold the family’s dreidel competition this year. You may like their new twist on existing customs.
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Adopt new traditions. Did your child request the same New Year’s Eve dinner that you served last year? Do they enjoy the same holiday movies and snacks every year? Think about your child’s favorite holiday rituals with tradition in mind. They may have created something that you’re already following, without realizing it.
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Start traditions that emphasize kindness. It’s the season for generosity and goodwill. Talk about the importance of kindness and find ways to make a difference together. Your family may decide to prepare food for an older neighbor or thank a babysitter for being so helpful. Encourage expressions of gratitude; they brighten someone else’s day, but they also make you (and your child) feel good.
Holiday traditions are a fun way to build your child’s mental health. Our new download will encourage your child to interview a family member about a family holiday meal.