Are there Traditions You Can Live Without?

I was shocked when I Googled Holiday Traditions in Canada and realized that 90% of them were all foods or involved a food! What? Do we not read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” anymore? Why does everything have to revolve around food? I have decided to make a point this year of making other things a tradition with my family.

Here are the Top Ten Canadian Traditions that involve food:

1. Butter Tarts
2. Tourtiere
3. Nanaimo Bars
4. Yule Logs
5. Mulled Beverages
6. Cranberries
7. Shortbread
8. Eggnog
9. Trifle
10. Candy Canes

Here are some ideas I think I suggest instead of just having foods to look forward to each year as a tradition:

1. Reading Twas The Night Before Christmas on Christmas eve.  (We already do this.)  We get all snuggled in our bed. (Mom and Dad’s Bed) We cuddle together, and we read this classic story before making our way to our own beds for a long winter’s nap!
2. Light some candles.  Candles have traditionally been a part of the holidays.  This year I am going to light candles for our holiday meals and eat in candle light for the BIG holiday meals. 
3. Holiday Cards.  I have noticed that we receive fewer and fewer cards each year.  I love getting mail and I really look forward to seeing family pictures and reading the Christmas letter of friends and family.  It’s nice to know that someone was thinking of our family.
4. Decorating the House.  We LOVE decorating!!  Our house literally looks like a Holiday present full of cheer exploded all over the house.  It really helps to get into the spirit of the holiday and my children look forward to decorating day each year!
5. Make gifts to give rather than buy them.  My sister and her family have done this, and they are some of my most memorable gifts over the past few years!  I feel that if I crafted a few gifts for the grandparents with my kids they both may cherish the sentiment.
6. Dress Up.  I love getting all dressed up for Christmas Day.  It’s fun to put on our best clothes and make ourselves look our best to celebrate together on a special day.
7. Give Back.  I LOVE this idea!!  I’m going to definitely do this over this season and try to remember to keep it up all year!  I am going to take my children out and perform some random acts of kindness.  We have already picked out toys for families in need but why not randomly buy a stranger’s coffee?  Deliver some homemade goodies to an elderly neighbor?  Hits ya right in the feels doesn’t it?
8. Christmas Movie Night.  I’m talking cuddling on the couch together as a family, and pulling out the classics.  This is one of my favorite new ideas for my family this year as we have SO much time off together and it’s getting COLD outside!!
9. Carol Singing.  Do you have music playing in the house all season?  Why not sing a few tunes together?  We have made the switch to holiday tunes before bed for this month and it’s such a nice change!!
10. Light Shows.  Here in Calgary we have Zoo Lights and a few other lights shows to attend.  It is so much fun to get outside, at night, and look at all the beautiful lights!! 

What are some of your family traditions you are willing to give up?  Do you have more ideas to add to the list of suggestions?  I’m giving up a few holiday treats for myself to spread a little cheer to others this year!  I hope you have fun making memories with your own families too!!