On The Tonight Show Jimmy Fallon had viewers post quirky family traditions that included hiding pancakes in each other’s pockets and putting hideous ornaments on their Christmas trees. Multiple studies have shown that establishing family rituals and routines positively benefits our health, relationships, and well-being.
If your Clan does not have a family tradition this year might be a good time to start one. A few ideas:
- Suggest your family volunteer each spring for the annual community cleanup and the person with the most creative excuse to avoid the work can miss it.
- Serve in a local soup kitchen together once a month and then all go out for an expensive steak dinner.
- Build a fire and make hot chocolate on the first day of winter. (This tradition may be short-lived as climate change will soon eradicate winter).
- Go Christmas Caroling naked in July asking for donations to the state mental hospital.
- Attend a holiday performance or concert each year, such as the “Nutcracker,” “Holiday in Chernobyl” or “A Very Pandemic Christmas!”
Or you might settle for all getting together once a year to share a holiday meal…BORING!