Admit it: Matching holiday PJs are just fun—and not just for your kids, either. KidStock/Getty Images, Credit: Anthony Masterson Photography, Credit: Speaking of blasting the carols, everyone in the family should have a say …
We all have busy lives, and adding a small tradition here or there can make all the difference in maintaining and strengthening your family bonds. Your call could be featured on the show! Do you celebrate the first or last days of school? Or, transform a magnetic board into a countdown calendar with tiny tins, magnets, and glue. Broaden your family's cultural awareness and spice up a typical holiday celebration with traditions from around the world. Parents.com is part of the Parents Network. Everything you need to thrive at home as a family. Or, send supplies and greeting cards to soldiers stationed abroad, and away from their families, for the holidays. If you’re not so DIY, a store-bought calendar will still equal big-time fun for cuties who can’t wait until Christmas! Pack hot cocoa or apple cider in insulated sippy cups and set off! If you would like to listen to the audio, please use Google Chrome or Firefox. Mighty Mommy has 6 ways to incorporate fun traditions into your family life. One idea: Celebrate Nochebuena. The finishing touch on the tree can be as simple as construction paper rings kids can easily make, or a more ornate garland created with pinecones and silk poinsettias hot-glued to twine. Another idea: DIY one together with your kids as a fun craft project. Start a Christmas Eve tradition where you all open up one special gift that you can use right away—coordinating pajamas—and start the holiday off in sweet matchy-matchy style. Feeling crafty? Find a Purpose and then make it Personal. Just remind eager tree-trimming tots to be careful with the delicate ornaments and family heirlooms. Some fun ideas for giving back: Wrap gifts to help kids who need it have a happier holiday season. They don’t have to be extravagant, time consuming, or tied into ethnicity (unless you want them to be). Getty Images, Credit: One way to build tradition is to create special family behaviors; things that the family does only with each other. The holiday season is probably the most popular time for practicing family traditions. A unique holiday gift exchange, family birthday celebrations and milestone traditions (a special dinner when a teenager gets his driver's license or an annual beach trip on the first day of summer, for example) are common family behaviors. The beauty is that you can start them any time, any place, and your newfound traditions will still have a positive impact on your entire family regardless of how old they are. Whether your house is aglow in holiday lights or you prefer to let others do the outdoor decorating, pick a night where you all pack in the car and drive around to see the dazzling displays in your neighboorhood. Parents may receive compensation when you click through and purchase from links contained on Commemorate your baby’s first Christmas, a child’s special interest, frame school photos to hang on the tree, or even personalize ornaments with names and dates. Step one to achieving an Instagram-worthy tree: Fluff those branches, then hang lights (make sure to perform a Clark Griswaldesque bulb check first) starting at the base and working your way up, before stringing garlands. Yes Day. Chances are, you'll get to enjoy more than finding the perfect fir: Many tree farms offer hayrides, sleigh rides, and other family-friendly activities (Santa may even show up!). Ask everyone to add their favorites, from classics like 'Jingle Bell Rock' to Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas is You.' Traditions can be as simple as reading to your child every night, having a movie and popcorn night every Friday, or discussing things you are grateful for around the dinner table each evening. Capture memories in the form of special ornaments that grow your collection each year. Be sure to supervise the unpacking of ornaments and hooks to avoid breakage or injury to little hands. From new classics like Noah to tried-and-true faves like Ava, here are the top boy and girl names of the year so far, plus more naming trends to consider. I’m a pediatric sleep specialist who has seen it all, and I’m here to tell you that it’s not too late to get your child to (happily) stay in his own bed all night long. Break out the hot cocoa and Christmas cookies—but step up your presentation a notch: Instead of just serving everyone a mug of cocoa, set up a hot-cocoa station complete with mini marshmallows, whipped cream, colored sprinkles, candy canes, and more. Here in Southern California, this is definitely a novelty and there are just a few places where … Caring for a baby with a wet or dry cough? Some examples of how to build family traditions into your weekly life would be Friday-night-pizza-night, or having family game night on Sunday evenings. FatCamera/Getty Images, Credit: Credit: Follow this step-by-step tutorial that uses paper cups, a bulletin board, and tasty treats to create an Advent calendar.