Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale

I love this quote and isn’t it true? Christmas is like a magic wand. This year, everyone was ready for that magic wand. Trees and lights went up early in an effort to bring some joy to a rather glum world. 

One of the things that helps people cope with tough times is family traditions. Our kids away at school, our young kids who are doing stay-at-home school, our older folks who are missing church and friends and companionship—we’re all ready for what feels normal. Traditions do that for us. Christmas is about traditions. Traditions are those things that link our present to our past and give us hope for our future. They are those things that cross all generational barriers. They are the glue that bonds one generation to another. They remind us to slow down and focus on our family. 

Family traditions are things that families do together on a regular basis. These things can be patterns of behavior, enjoyable activities, a song, or a certain food your family enjoys together. They can be repeated daily, weekly, monthly or once a year. They can be as big as a family vacation or as small as the song you sing before every meal. The important thing is that your family has them and every time you do them, the whole family smiles. 

WHY TRADITIONS ARE IMPORTANT

1. Family traditions create good feelings and special moments to remember. First of all, traditions are fun. Enjoying this time together as a family will create positive emotions in each member. These are the memories that will last a lifetime.
2. Family traditions give every member of the family a stronger sense of belonging. Being a part of a family is more than living in the same home or having the same last name. It is about relationships and family bonds. Since family traditions are something you do together, they strengthen the bonds you have between each other, creating a stronger sense of belonging to the family. 
3. Family traditions help your children with his/her identity. It helps to know that you ‘belong’ when you are trying to figure out who you are. For a teen, finding out who you are is their number one job. A family that encourages teens to be a part of it and its traditions provides a strong foundation for teens to stand on when they’re searching and defining their sense of self. Even if a teen is unhappy during the event, the event will stick with them. 
4. Family traditions help parents impart the family’s values to their children. Your children are watching you—at all times. Preparing for and walking out a tradition tells your children that you value your family so much that it’s worth the time it takes to live out a family tradition. If your family values time together, your children will see what it takes to make that happen. If your family enjoys a certain food item, your children will see how you walk that out.  
5. Family traditions offer your children a sense a security. Everyday your children face some very difficult issues. A child who knows who he/she is will more likely stand strong against the evil influences of the world. Family traditions tell a child this is who I am, so they are not searching for identity. 
6. Family traditions give us something to focus on and look forward to. When times get tough, many times focusing on an upcoming family tradition can help you get through the tough time as I mentioned about all of 2020. Looking forward is what hope is all about and when people have hope they are more likely to trudge through the difficult and make it to the other side.
7. Hope you and your family are preparing to celebrate this season with many family traditions. If your family didn’t or doesn’t do any, you can start now and create some. It’s really easy to do. Just pick something, do it, and do it again next year.