Holiday Traditions create family bonds, they create regular standing rituals that people come to love, and they are remarkably important — something most people take for granted.

Traditions are those beliefs and customs that you hand down to your children, even your team, and then they get carried on by the generations to come. These can be a wide variety of things, and sometimes you don’t even know you have traditions until they are recognized by others.

Traditions are important, especially to children, for several reasons. It is easier on people when they know what to expect, when things become too ‘up in the air’ it can increase the amount of stress people feel. Right now, people experience more anxiety and stress than ever before, and it begins at a younger age than ever before.

It is often helpful to know what is going on; a part of preparing for anything is ‘mental prep,’ especially when visitors are involved and there is more activity than usual. A lot more goes into the preparations than just getting the spare bedroom ready.

Traditions also serve as a way to foster a sense of belonging, which is something so many want and need, especially since the isolation of COVID. The art of bringing people together to work on a project, or help another family in need, can serve as the bridge that unites them when it is needed the most. Feeling as though you are a part of a group makes you feel more valued and loved.

Traditions also allow for a way to connect with others, including and not limited to family members. For instance, if members of your family live far away, it can be hard to catch up and feel close when there is distance between you. These holiday traditions can help to ‘break the ice’ so to speak, helping to start a conversation and ultimately creating an instant connection that makes the time since you last saw them seem much shorter. It’s about bridging the gap, in time, distance, even age.

What are your Holiday Traditions?

Take a few minutes to think about what your Holiday Traditions are and which ones you like the most.

Perhaps you’ll notice some that are missing, or places where some need to be added. Possibly you’ll remember some that have been forgotten over the years.

Ask your family members which traditions are their favorites or are most important to them. You might be surprised.

Here are a few of my favorites, some old and some new ones. Please feel free to share yours.

Going together to get the Christmas tree and picking one out was always fun for me. I enjoyed seeing what they liked and then trying to decide on one. It was actually fun when everyone participated, even the kids. It was one of my favorites for that reason, and it always put me in the Christmas spirit to be outside, with the snow and carols playing, even the cold temperatures.

Shopping for Christmas gifts is another one. Some of you might buy for everyone in the family, some of you might choose names out of a hat to determine who you buy for. Including everyone, even the children, is part of the fun, it really is. Some of you may be thinking it’s one more thing to do and/or buy; given the right perspective it can actually be fun. It’s a great way to get to know family members better and then a quick way to connect amidst the chaos of the day.

Planning Christmas Eve dinner. It can be the perfect opportunity to include people you wouldn’t normally. Or an event that you do together that you may not always get to, like a movie or midnight mass. Maybe it’s a meal that the whole family makes together, where they can all participate.

Although Holiday Traditions may be stressful for you, I do think that they are important experiences that bring people together especially at a time that is typically busy and in ways you may not expect.

What are some of your Holiday Traditions? And what is one you might want to add?

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Maureen Considine is Founder and CEO of Finding Your Way Coaching. A Master Coach with expertise in Income Acceleration, Business Development, Sales and Mindset, she is the Wealth Health Creation Strategist for entrepreneurs, executives, and other high performers. Maureen has over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing. She has helped hundreds of clients grow their businesses and reach their true potential using her unique, intuitive, and holistic approach. Maureen has a B.A. in Psychology, with training in mindset and the Psychology of Sales.