You may think that traditions are set in stone and can’t be altered or added to, but in fact people are adapting their family traditions all the time. If you’d like to update yours, or even create new ones, here are some tips on bringing the whole family along with you.
Set Some Ground Rules
Talk together to decide what your family traditions represent, and what they help you do as a family. Some people have monthly family feasts, which ensure that everyone talks and eats together on a semi-regular basis. Others always go to the same beach destination on holiday, meaning that the younger generations will build up happy memories associated with this place. Once you know what you want your new tradition to mean, you can start building from there.
Consider Costs
It may be a wonderful idea to fly everyone to a luxury ski resort as your new family winter tradition, but clearly for some people this will not be financially viable. If you want to meet as a group, think of ways of meeting in the middle and cutting costs. If you live close by, choose a spot that’s easy for everyone to get to. If you live far apart, choose somewhere in between everyone’s houses that makes travel equal for all.
Think of the Future
This new tradition will only stick if it’s workable in the future, so don’t build it around the fact that you currently get free access to a mountain holiday lodge on account of your job. Think of a tradition that can be embraced (and adapted) by the future generations of your family, so that it is meaningful and will last.
Family traditions are special and important, so when planning a new one get everyone on board and make sure it’s sustainable into the future.