Fun Things to Do with Family During the Holidays

1. Take a Hike—all those extra calories during holiday meals are fantastic when we’re consuming them, but we pay dearly for them later. Why not spend some quality time with the ones you love while burning some of the added calories that come with celebrations?
2. Play Games—board games, card games, hide and seek, charades, whatever works well with the ages and abilities of those with whom you choose to spend your time. Turn off the television and smartphones and interact with one another on a personal level.
3. Listen to Some Music—or, better still, make your own! It doesn’t have to be holiday tunes, let everyone take turns sharing some of their favorite songs or artists. You might be amazed by what you learn from one another.
4. Share some Memories—take turns telling your stories. Prepare a few questions to prompt the conversations ahead of time like: What is your favorite memory from childhood? What is the funniest thing you’ve ever seen? Who has had the most influence on you, and why? Who do you most admire, and why?
5. Have a Scavenger Hunt—divide up into teams and turn everyone loose with a list of random items and a sack to put them in. When the hunt is over, have these teams take their items and make up a story that includes everything in the bag…or, better yet, create an imaginary invention that will solve one of the world’s great problems. The made-up stories open us up to being silly and having fun and the imaginary invention opens us up to some serious conversations about the needs of the world, and perhaps ways in which we could address those needs for real.
6. Work on Your Family Tree—the times when we gather with loved ones are great opportunities to fill in the gaps and unknowns in your family’s history. If you’re artistic or crafty, you may even come up with a way to chronicle that gathering for all your family members.
7. Get Crafty—make ornaments or design a holiday themed family t-shirt or sweatshirt. Having a family photo with everyone wearing their creations is another great memory-maker.
8. Cook Something Together—share traditional family recipes with younger generations or try out new things with your family traditionalists. With one you can pass on a tradition and with the other you might stumble upon new favorite.
9. FaceTime or Video Chat—not all families can gather together during the holidays. Today’s technologies make it easier than ever to feel like you aren’t so far apart.
10. Volunteer—serve a meal at a homeless shelter, read to a child, visit a nursing home, play with or bathe some animals at a shelter. Taking time to serve someone else instills in us a sense of gratefulness that our world desperately needs and teaches our children to think outside themselves.

Blessings,
Tracy