Traditions for Couples and Families
Traditions represent a critical part of family culture. When you join two family cultures together, in a marriage or relationship, you have important decisions to make about what to keep and what to let go and how to create your unique family culture. The idea of developing traditions may sound stuffy and old-fashioned, but they can be fun as well. It is up to you to choose traditions that you can enjoy together as a couple and to create traditions that will pull your future or current family together.
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Traditions help couples stay together and help families bond. Couples and families who do things together, whether it is praying or playing, are more likely to get through difficult times together. Traditions are all about creating lasting and happy memories, so have fun with creating your own traditions.
Create Traditions for the Two of You:
The basic unit of any family is the couple relationship. If your family expands to include children, they will receive the most support and security if your couple relationship is stable and loving. Below are some suggestions for couple traditions:
• Always say goodbye with a kiss.
• Take turns planning a date once a week.
• Exercise together.
• Take a bi-yearly holiday, just the two of you.
• Always greet each other with a hug.
• Create a word or sign that says, “I love you.”—make it something that is your secret.
• Have mealtime at the table. Talk and share.
• Do gardening or yard work together.
• Volunteer together.
• Once a month have a clean the house morning, followed by a laze in bed and talk afternoon.
• Have a special rendezvous for lunch.
• Cook special meals together.
• Create a bedtime routine (include eye contact and cuddling).
Family Traditions:
It is never too late to create a new family tradition or to reinforce an existing family tradition. Consider if you have any family traditions that help you to connect daily. Are you eating meals together? Do you hug family members? Pray together? Sing together? Share gratitude with one another?
Do you have family traditions that help you connect weekly or monthly? I fondly remember as a child watching The Wonderful World of Disney and eating chicken sandwiches and hot chocolate on Sunday evenings with my family. Traditions do not have to be complicated to bring families together. Also, consider what traditions you want to adopt for holidays and special occasions. What kind of traditions do you want to create for family vacations?
What you choose to do is up to you. Your choice is not nearly as important as the opportunity you create for strengthening your bonds of love. So, create happy traditions, things that you do over and over again that say I love you and I love spending time with you.