Searching for Family Holiday Traditions

My 7-year-old son has to do an assignment for school about his family's holiday traditions, I had to think for a moment: What are the Teegarden family holiday traditions?

Like a lot of American families, most of our family holiday traditions are a mish-mosh of various cultural backgrounds. We have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with a turkey, stuffing, and a pumpkin pie for dessert, but pretty much everybody does that. We celebrate Christmas with a tree and decorations, and attend church. I really had to think about what were the unique traditions that my family celebrates the holidays with.

I would say that most of our special holiday traditions are rooted in the Christmas season. Being proud northwesterners, each of my children is given the gift of a Pendleton woolen blanket the Christmas that falls the year when they have turned seven-years-old. My wife and I feel that this is gift that they will have for a lifetime.

We also have our children take turns placing the angel atop our Christmas tree each year. This usually starts with an argument, until Mom steps in to remind everyone who did it last year, and who gets to do it this year.

We also continue doing something that my mother did for my siblings and I. She would always take the gold-wrapped chocolate coins known as gelt, and tape them to one of our presents. I don't know why she did this, but it's something we do for our kids. It's a tradition in my family that doesn't have a story of origin, but a tradition none the less.

What are the special holiday traditions in your family? Leave us a comment to share what your family does.

Find out how you can start new holiday traditions with your kids here.