A friend of mine recently took her family out to cut their own Christmas tree, and it made me think about my recent post about building traditions with your family. Hers is a fantastic tradition, and one I’m sure her kids will look back on with fond memories. Going out as a family and actually breaking out the saw, cutting the selected tree and taking it home to decorate. They will always remember that. And she will, too.
Thinking more on this topic, it made me realize that building in special moments isn’t just for the kids. It’s mostly for the kids, but it’s for you, too. It’s so that when you’re older and you think back on little slices of time, you have something to hold on to as well. You’re giving your family something, yes, but you’re giving something back to yourself. You won’t remember the crazy schedule around the holidays so much. You won’t really remember burning the cookies you were trying to bake (or turning out some dirt-tasting, meatball-looking pseudo cookies), and you won't remember the stressful shopping, except in a general way. What you'll remember, specifically, are the moments you had with the people you love and the feelings those moments brought...to all of you.
Thinking more on this topic, it made me realize that building in special moments isn’t just for the kids. It’s mostly for the kids, but it’s for you, too. It’s so that when you’re older and you think back on little slices of time, you have something to hold on to as well. You’re giving your family something, yes, but you’re giving something back to yourself. You won’t remember the crazy schedule around the holidays so much. You won’t really remember burning the cookies you were trying to bake (or turning out some dirt-tasting, meatball-looking pseudo cookies), and you won't remember the stressful shopping, except in a general way. What you'll remember, specifically, are the moments you had with the people you love and the feelings those moments brought...to all of you.
An excerpt from When You Are Old, by WB Yeats:
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
In my house, the memory making usually includes some bathroom humor somewhere and a whole lot of laughing. Everyone has their own brand of family time or memory making. Ours just happens to be more National Lampoon’s movie and less Norman Rockwell painting. And that’s okay. We like it that way. Low brow is what we know. There are 4 males in my house—and really, Ella and I are no better, so…yeah, off color humor just feels familiar and right.
It doesn’t matter what YOUR brand of memory making is, just make some. And make them good ones, for your sake. I know it’s the season of giving, but be a little selfish and give yourself this. Get your jingle on, and make each other smile.
By the way, if your memory making this Christmas includes some family friendly games (especially as we run the gauntlet of holiday parties and get togethers these next two weeks), here are some fun Xmas related games:
Santa Claus Word Search
Santa Around the World
Christmas Song Picture Game
Christmas Quiz
It doesn’t matter what YOUR brand of memory making is, just make some. And make them good ones, for your sake. I know it’s the season of giving, but be a little selfish and give yourself this. Get your jingle on, and make each other smile.
By the way, if your memory making this Christmas includes some family friendly games (especially as we run the gauntlet of holiday parties and get togethers these next two weeks), here are some fun Xmas related games:
Santa Claus Word Search
Santa Around the World
Christmas Song Picture Game
Christmas Quiz