by, Amy Erickson
Sometimes I feel like the Holidays pass by all to quickly and before I know it, Christmas is over and I forgot to take some time to stop, smell the greenery and enjoy it. Maybe you have felt that way too. It can be so easy to get stuck in a rut and let it pass by without experiencing the wonder of the season. It got me thinking, what can we do to bring back the fun, the joy, the experience? So last year, I tried something new. I created a bucket list for Christmas. I started small.
My first item was something that I could do to bless others. I decided I was going to bake cinnamon rolls for my neighbors. So I selected 4 neighbors, baked cinnamon rolls, and delivered them the weekend before Christmas. I had my nieces help me make them. It was so fun to watch them play with the dough and help put the cinnamon and sugar on before we rolled them up. Not only did I cherish the time with my nieces, we decided we would continue it as a tradition, and we got to see the smiles that it brought to my neighbors faces when we delivered them.
The second item on my bucket list was to have a Christmas movie marathon. I picked a Sunday afternoon, invited some family and friends over. I had everyone bring their favorite movie snacks, I had made mine and supplied the drinks, including hot chocolate, of course. We made it through 3 holiday classics, or what we think are classics. We watched Home Alone, The Santa Clause, and Christmas Vacation. It was so much fun. It was a day full of fellowship, fun and laughter. The best medicine there is, and best of all, it created great memories.
This year, I will carry on what I started last year and add one new item to my bucket. I haven’t quite decided what that will be. I have been putting a list of different ideas together and would like to share it with you. Hopefully it will inspire you to start something new and find the joy and wonder of the holiday season all over again.
Holiday Tradition Ideas
- Decorate a gingerbread house
- Volunteer at a Food Bank or Shelter
- Do a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt
- Make an Ornament for the Tree
- Sponsor a Child or Family in Need
- Bake Cookies and do a Cookie Exchange Party with Friends
- Drive Around and Look at Lights
- Create a Holiday Photo Booth and Have Friends and Family Come Over for Fun Photos
- Ugly Sweater Christmas Party
- Go to a Holiday Play or Musical
- Go to a Holiday Concert
- Read a Different Holiday Story Each Night
- Go Ice Skating
- Make a Homemade Gift for Someone
- Do a Random Act of Kindness
- Have Friends Come Over to Make Holiday Crafts
My hope is that this list will get you thinking of things that you can do with your family and with your friends to help create lasting memories while spending wonderful time together. Because I believe that is truly what the season is all about.