A few ideas I've gathered and wanted to share- I LOVE traditions! I hope this list continues to grow as my family does. If you come across this list and want to share a favorite tradition of yours, please do!! Just leave a comment on this page.
Birthdays:
-Child gets to pick out their own dinner
-A special outing with mom and dad only
-Breakfast in bed with all the family gathering around to sing Happy Birthday
-fill bedroom with balloons-decorate too- for when they wake up
-decorate their rooms while they are asleep- fill the room with balloons
-special birthday pancakes with a candle or donut cake
-countdown to their birthday
-birthday video
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/birthday-traditions/
Thanksgiving:
-Big lunch/dinner
-Pick out real Christmas tree
-Decorate Christmas tree/house on the day after Thanksgiving as a family
-Christmas Cards with family newsletter (e-mail version too)
-Make pumpkin bread and deliver it to special friends/family including a special note of thanks for things they've done
-Go for a hike and decorate a tree for the animals- with edible treats
-Gratitude Tree: Make a tree on the wall with a bunch of leaves and write things on the leaves of things thankful for
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/thanksgiving/
Christmas:
-Big breakfast, finger food the rest of the day (big Thanksgiving dinner)
-Read Christmas story on Christmas Eve
-Spend the last 15 minutes of each day in December (before the kids go to bed) to turn out all the lights except for some Christmas lights and some candles, read a Christmas story or listen to some Christmas music and enjoy the spirit of Christmas
-Cookie Exchange
-Purchase a special ornament for each child every year, give it to them when they go away to college/get married (They get to pick it out when they are old enough)
-Draw Names for stockings
-Adopt a family
-Drive around nice neighborhoods to look at Christmas lights/decorations in PJs with pillows and blankets in the car, listening to Christmas music- pick a favorite and make an award and present it to them
-Go to city Christmas tree lighting- take a carriage ride downtown, enjoy the decorations
-Activity Advent calendar- every day during December have an activity to do- a gift can be included too for fun (ice skating, decorating Gingerbread House, bake holiday cookies, make snow globes, make paper snowflakes, certain Christmas movie or story, etc etc)
-Each child gets own small Christmas tree for their room and can decorate with home-made ornaments that they can make when they are bored- popcorn or construction garland etc.
-Have a slumber party in the living room around the Christmas tree
-Wrapping party
-Live Nativity
-Watch home videos/slideshows of Christmas the year before
-Have children make Christmas cards/ornaments to take to a Childrens hospital or Nursing Home
-Let kids decorate their bedroom door for Christmas
-Kids get new PJs and slippers on Christmas Eve to wear Christmas morning
-12 days of Christmas to someone- a Nativity set?
-Roast marshmallows, make smores around the fireplace
-Purge- gather items to give away to the needy
-Go to the Nutcracker ballet
-Put together a box for cousins who live far away with photos, letters, items collected etc.
-Take down the Christmas tree on a special weekend and make it special
-Wrap up a Christmas story/book for each day until Christmas (25 days or 12 days) Open and read one each night
-Christmas in a can- a can filled with things that represent Christ during Christmas- maybe do one for each day of Christmas and place it on the tree
-Draw names and do secret acts of service for that person without them knowing... for each act someone does, the person who received the kindness puts a straw in the manger where Jesus will be placed on Christmas Eve (can switch names every week)
-Everyone in the family wraps a present for Jesus and places it under the tree... a list of things we want to offer him to celebrate His birthday (New Years Resolutions?)
-Set up all the Nativity sets after Christmas devotional
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/merry-little-christmas/
New Years Eve/Day
-Everyone paint a self-portrait on a small canvas that can be combined with the rest of the family's and made into an art piece (seehere for an example)
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/happy-new-year/
Valentines Day
-Decorate the House with hearts
-Decorate cookies, cupcakes and cards together
-Special breakfast
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/be-my-valentine/
St. Patricks Day
-Use green washable finger paint to paint little footsteps around the house and dye milk green (or other foods)
-Hide a pot of 'gold' (gold things) somewhere in the house next to a rainbow?
-Eat green breakfast
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/st-patricks-day/
Easter
-Video on the real Easter story
-Find hidden Easter baskets in the morning
-Decorate Easter eggs
-Easter Egg hunt later on in the day with cousins/friends
-bunny ears
-leave out carrots for the bunny
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/easter/
Summer
-One special vacation
-Campout in backyard
-summer fun list
-welcome to summer basket
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/summer-lovin/
Fall
-Family photos
-Collect leaves
-Decorate/carve pumpkins
-hay rides
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/fall-loveliness/
Back to School
-Back to school party
-back to school shopping for school gear and clothes
-a picture on the first day of school with a chalkboard
-a letter to the teacher
http://pinterest.com/marissa_noe/back-to-school/