Why Family Traditions are Important

By Contributor Kristen LaValley

The Holiday season has got to be the busiest season of the year. So many parties and events, sometimes it feels like I blink and it’s New Years already. My son will be three in January and this is the FIRST year since he was born that we won’t be traveling for the holidays. We’re staying home! That means it’s the first year we’ve had the chance to start our own family traditions. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of Christmas and forget to take the time to just turn everything down and be together.

Having family traditions forces you to slow down. If you stay committed to what you’ve decided to do with your family every year, it makes saying “No” easier and guarantees your family is top priority.

They also provide a sense of identity to your family. Your traditions are the fabric to your family story. It’s important to establish them early so that they become as well worn and familiar as that recliner in the corner of your living room.

Ask any grown up about their favorite memories and it’s almost guaranteed to include a family tradition that brings warmth and comfort to them, even in their adult years. Creating traditions with your child isn’t just about the moment. You are giving them a gift that will last well into their adult years, where they will give that same gift to their own children.

Your traditions don’t have to complicated or extravagant. In fact, the best ones are usually those that are simple, meaningful, and bring your family together in way that creates lasting memories.

Kristen is a stay at home mom to one deliciously chunky baby boy and one hilariously clever two year old living in East Tennessee. She chronicles her adventures in cloth diapering, parenting, faith, and insane toddler antics at www.whenathome.com