Having holiday traditions is a very important part to building a strong bond between family. It gives us a sense of belonging and a way to express what is important to us.
Growing up my family didn't have many traditions, so it wasn't a big deal for me until I became a mom. I am always looking for different things to do as a family, especially during the holidays. So, a few years ago we started decorating our own ornaments. Our tree is only decorated with ornaments my children have made, with an occasional gifted ornament. It is a fun activity for the whole family and s very inexpensive.
All you need is:
- Ornaments (there are many varieties of ornaments, but our favorite is the clear ones)
- Paint
- Paint brushes
- Glitter
- Art glue
- Any other craft materials you wish to use
We usually don't have a theme and just let the kids be as creative as possible. For example, last year the kids were into Pokemon and the year before we made hand print clay ornaments. This year we are planning on having a Christmas ornament decoration party since we just bought our first home. This is one tradition I hope my kids will continue with their own families and that it becomes a celebration of family for generations to come.
Gabriela is wife to husband, Aaron, and mom to four boys! She is a full-time mom, works as a substitute teacher, and owns her own cleaning business. She runs the Facebook group, I Only Make Boys, where she enjoys chronicling her boys' crazy adventures and sharing wisdom with other boymoms.
