How to Make a New Family Christmas Tradition

How do you celebrate Christmas as a family? What are the traditions of Christmas? Like us, do you want to start a new family Christmas tradition but aren’t sure how?

Over the years, as an adult, Christmas has been a time of change and searching. I have longed to have something solid, and consistent, some traditions that are our own that our kids will remember with joy when they are grown. Talk about a struggle.

Anyone else trying to build something that will last?

We had a tradition, but it was not the norm.  Our family always struggled financially.  Growing up we lived on hand-me-down clothes and powdered eggs.  But we saved and saved to be able to make candy for our family and friends at Christmas.

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Do You Have a Family Christmas Tradition?

Growing up there were several traditions. My favorite family Christmas tradition was making candy for friends and family. I remember weeks on end of washing chocolate molds.  If I closed my eyes right now I could almost smell the warm gingerbread coming out of the oven (I still love Gingerbread houses – check out these beautiful ideas from Shari’s Berries if that is your Christmas tradition!).

Even after I grew up and moved away, I still came back to Mom’s kitchen (The Candy Shop we affectionately called it) a couple of weekends in December.  We played Christmas music and laughed for hours soaking in the love and joy of the season.

When I was pregnant with my oldest Little Blessing, my parents divorced.  All of our Family Traditions ended.  It still hurts today and I struggle with anxiety around the holiday season.

Related Post: 4 Simple Ways to Find Hope and Joy While Battling Anxiety

Pain and Trauma Change Christmas

That year, I lost my parents to the pain they were facing and my siblings who seemed to spiral into their own pain. Even our extended family disappeared from our lives in the blink of an eye. It hurt. I lost any Christmas spirit in that season.

It took time, but I learned how to forgive the hurt of my parent’s divorce that splintered our already dysfunctional family.

There have been so many pains to forgive over the years and each time something hurts, Christmas shifts for me. Can you relate?

One tradition I pray I pass on to our Little Blessings is the Spiritual discipline of forgiveness. I found to truly forgive the pain, abuse, and betrayal that stole so many years of my life.  I was stuck, unwilling to forgive until I learned to forgive… to release the people who had hurt me… so I could walk in freedom.

That’s a Christmas tradition we talk about often!

Letting Go of Old Christmas Traditions

Part of the healing process that the Lord worked into me was a need to let go of the old Christmas traditions. My family was gone and not interested in doing life together, I had to let that dream go for a time. The things we once did together hurt too much to do alone, I had to let that dream go for a time.

With each dream I had to let go of God proved to be amazing and faithful.

“God makes a home for the lonely;” (Pslam 68:6 NASB)

God sets the lonely in families is how another version says this. When I was able to let go of the old, God brought in something new and beautiful!

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Finding A New Christmas Tradition

Hubby and I have tried a lot of things to find a new Christmas tradition that would fit our family.  We live a frugal lifestyle so I can be a stay-at-home mom which means we just can not buy gifts for our loved ones. What were our options?

We tried re-creating The Candy Shop from my past which was just a disaster.  My mom added something special to make that a wonderful time… probably herself.  Then Little Blessing #2 came along with a bazillion food allergies.  Ug…  We had to scratch that Christmas tradition.

I learned a valuable lesson in those early years. It’s okay to say, “That didn’t work” and try something else.

Related Post: 6 Astonishing Truths No One Tells You About Homeschooling

Homeschool Inspired the Tradition That Lasted

When we began Homeschooling, I found my oldest Little Blessing has a love of crafts.  I find myself spending hours on Pinterest to keep up with her hobby because I am not naturally crafty.   In that mad search, someone mentioned making crafts as gifts. That inspired me!

We’ve done plaster footprints, cinnamon ornaments (I still love that one), and handprint calendars.  Each year we pick something from our curriculum that the kids love making and we make it for our family, friends, and neighbors.

Bible Journaling As a Christmas Tradition

That same Little Blessing inspired us all to begin Bible Journaling.  Do you Bible Journal or spend time in creative faith expression? 

Have you ever thought about it? 

If you are on the fence believing it’s too complicated or too expensive, let me reassure you I am not creative and we live on a tight budget! You could do this.

How to Start Bible Journaling Cheap with Every Day Things!  As we’ve been growing in this skill we created a Bible Journaling Tool Kit which was a fun gift… but more importantly, it became a habit for our family. Coloring the Word or doodling to express what we are learning in the Word was an unexpected way to connect with each other and the Lord.

Related Post: 4 Powerful Advantages of Homeschooling Your Children

30 Days of Joy Bible Journaling Tool Kit

This is the pack we created together to help us express our faith at Christmastime. What’s included in the Kit?

• A 30-day reading plan
• Journaling prompts
• 3 pages of doodling templates
• 1 sheet of margin strips
• 1 sheet of Bible verse cards
• Detailed Instructions about how to get started Bible Journaling

Related Post: The Calling to Disciple All Nations Starts with My Children 

Random Acts of Kindness is my Favorite Holiday Tradition

The idea to include our neighbors in the list came because we wanted our kids to think beyond themselves.  Christmas traditions with kids have to intentionally include ways to give. We live in an elderly community and our neighbors rarely see family, even this time of year.

While our kids think of making gifts for their best friends or favorite relatives we talk about the True Meaning of Christmas.  This is the very intentional conversation we have every year.

Mom: Why do we celebrate Christmas?

Child: Because we love presents.

Mom: Why do we give gifts?

Child: Because it’s Jesus birthday.

Mom: Why don’t we give gifts to Jesus?

Child: Jesus has everything.  How would we give Him a gift?

Mom: You have something Jesus wants.  What is it?

Child: (Rolling her eyes because we’ve had this conversation so many times) My Heart.

Mom:  Have you given Him your heart?

Child: (Still rolling her eyes) Like take it out of my chest?  Gross Mom!

Mom:  Have you asked Jesus to be the boss of your life and promised to live life His way?

Child: Yes.  What does that have to do with Christmas?

Mom:  So why do we give gifts?

Child: To celebrate Jesus birth, because He is the gift God gave to us.

Related Post: Kindness is The Fool Proof Way to Cure Spoiled Kids

Talking About the True Meaning of Christmas

We then talk about how Jesus came to save everyone.  This has to be an intentional conversation! It’s funny how easy it is to not have this conversation and how we have to almost force the conversation to begin.

It is just not natural to talk about Jesus coming to love those that the world doesn’t love well.

Mom:  So it’s good that we give gifts to our loved ones, but we should also give gifts to those the world forgets.  Jesus loves them too.  We show them God’s love when we love them.

We have such a similar conversation every year and throughout the year.  It is important to be consistent as we teach the true meaning of Christmas.

Unique Christmas Traditions**

And so we make a big deal out of creating gifts for our neighbors.  I pray it is a witness to them.  The First Year we delivered the gifts they were confused… this is not normal behavior.

By embracing this unique Christmas tradition we got to meet a couple of our neighbors for the first time.  Now we know all of our neighbors’ names and some things about them.  We can pray for them, speak to them, and call them by name when we see them. Talk about a blessing and a way to be engage for the Kingdom of God.

Christmas Countdown Drama

As time went on we learned that our Little Blessing #2 has Autism. She struggles to understand time and so struggles with the overwhelm of anticipation for anything good… or bad.

This made a traditional Christmas countdown impossible. You can’t have 24 days of anticipation without meltdowns and overwhelm.

We have been creative to countdown with the other kids in a special way, but to keep her centered we don’t start preparing her for Christmas until about 2 weeks out. It has helped us.

Related Post: 3 Helps for a Sibling of Special Needs

Alternatives To Family Christmas Gatherings

I struggled to “feel the Christmas spirit” for a long while because there weren’t family gatherings with my family of origin. It hurt.

How important is it to be with family for Christmas?

It feels like it is woven into the fabric of the soul. But what can you do when no amount of family Christmas gathering ideas spark interest in your family? They just don’t want to gather anymore…

I found an amazing family in our Church community. They have been a family to us in so many seasons and I am thankful for them in our lives!

We enjoy several church family Christmas activities each year:

• Our Lady’s Christmas Tea
  • Each year our Women’s Ministry hosts a beautiful tea that the girls and I love!
• Life Group Christmas party
  • This is a time to connect with friends/family.
• White Christmas Service
  • Our church hosts a service to give back to the community – exhibiting the true meaning of Christmas.

I can’t wait to share some of the Fun, Fast, and Frugal Christmas Gift Ideas we’ve tried and loved this month!

How To Create a New Christmas Tradition

What I hope you have seen is that with a bit of trial and error and a heart open to change anyone can create a new family Christmas tradition. 

Maybe it will look different, but maybe it will be more meaningful than what you’ve lost!

Check out the 10 Easy Homemade Gifts Every One Will Love which is a list of our favorite homemade gifts!

in HIM,

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