This blog was originally published on 12/1/21. We have edited and updated this piece and are excited to share some ideas for building holiday traditions with your growing family.

Last month, we republished 4 tips for holiday decision-making with a new baby, and this month, we’d like to expand on these practices and offer ideas for creating and/or maintaining meaningful, holiday traditions.

We hope that this blog makes space for you and your family to feel creative, empowered, and flexible as you navigate this holiday season. While the word “tradition” implies long-term or something that repeats regularly, YOU and your family get to decide when it’s time to adjust, change, edit, or create traditions.

6 Ways to Build Traditions

Traditions can strengthen familial bonds and create containers for being together and sharing experiences. This can be so valuable especially as your family grows, changes, and navigates new transitions. Traditions contribute to the family culture you are building and teaching your children. Below are our 6 favorite ways to go about creating and maintaining holiday traditions:

1. Draw on your ancestral, cultural, and familial histories. For many people, it can be important to reflect on history and honor lineage. Are rituals you have inherited from your ancestors that feel important to continue and pass along to your children? Sometimes traditions have been handed down, but the symbolism or meaning has not been clear. You might like to spend time researching or learning the why or how behind some of your ancestral, cultural, or family’s traditions.
2. Consider what you want/need/prefer as individuals AND as a family. Spend time considering your wants, needs, and preferences around traditions. You might like to write or draw it out. We also suggest doing this as individuals and then together, if you are partnered. Then, make decisions as a family about what needs to be prioritized. (Note: this is likely a multi-step conversation happening over the course of days or weeks.)
3. Focus on sustainability. You can’t do it all! We offer this reminder often in our blogs, and every time, we say it with love and care. Be compassionate with yourself as you begin planning. In other words, don’t overcommit! Also, remember that perfection (a.k.a. what you see on some people’s IG grids) is a myth. Invite yourself and your family to build traditions in realistic ways, acknowledging that it can take time to build and expand traditions that feel really right and authentic. 
4. Incorporate rituals that are already working. If there are routines or rituals that your family is already enjoying, you may consider incorporating those into holiday traditions. For example, if bedtime stories are working, stick with these during the holidays and maybe add in holiday-focused books. 
5. Deemphasize material things. Babies do not need or want tons of stuff. Most kids do not need or want tons of stuff. We encourage families to focus more on time together and less on material things. The internet will try to sell you all the things, so we invite you to slow down and check in with what really works for your family. This may be easier if you’ve engaged with tip #2 and have clear wishes surrounding material items. (If you are looking for intentional gift ideas, check out out gift guide here.)
6. Center your values and beliefs. You may choose to celebrate in ways that are new or ways that you grew up with or ways that your partner shared with you. In any case, when you center your values and beliefs, the decisions you make will feel authentic and meaningful. You will also be better equipped to navigate boundaries with loved ones when you are making choices from this place.

We are Here for You

The transition into parenthood or into life with another child is significant. Thus, it may feel overwhelming navigating the holidays and landing on what feels right for you and your growing family. 

We are here to support you in planning for and navigating your postpartum and family-building experience. Please reach out if you’d like to explore these ideas more deeply in a consultation or to book postpartum care.

*Photo credit: Shaylyn on Unsplash