How to Create a Lasting Tradition for Baby’s First Christmas

Even more than your wedding day, having a baby feels like the creation of your own family. And families can create strong bonds through traditions that build meaning over time. Some of us even get teary-eyed remembering mom’s Christmas stuffing when far away for the holidays or remember fondly playing family touch football before Thanksgiving turkey.

As a new family, you can create your own traditions, reaffirming the ones from your past and replacing the ones you didn’t enjoy.

Here are a few traditions you might consider:

• Christmas eve church service
  
• Annual engraved silver ornaments for the tree
  
• Tradition around the trimming of the tree (perhaps a hired pianist)
  
• A special holiday cocktail that always kicks off the cookie-baking or the Christmas eve dinner
  
• Volunteering at a food bank or a soup kitchen as a family

– Paul Banas