family traditions

Traditions, no matter how simple or elaborate, are incredibly special to kids. They provide a sense of continuity, belonging, and comfort, something familiar to look forward to. Today’s post is all about family traditions, why they’re important, and what makes them special. We hope the activities in this post will inspire you to start a few new traditions of your own. Whether you’re trying something for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, these moments have the power to become the cherished memories your kids carry with them into adulthood (and maybe even implement for their kids). So, go ahead, dive into the season with open arms, and let this fall be the start of something special for your family.

Traditions Make Life Sparkle

Family traditions are those special little things that make life sparkle. They’re the experiences, activities, routines, or rituals that create shared memories, give us something to look forward to, and lay the groundwork for family values.

Think of traditions as the glitter glue that binds families together, giving extra meaning to celebrations, milestones, holidays, and even the changing of the seasons.

Now, when we talk about traditions, we don’t just mean the ones passed down through generations, like your grandma’s secret pie recipe (the one that mysteriously never tastes as good when you make it). Traditions can start at any time, no ancient lineage is required.

And guess what? You only need to do something twice for it to be considered a tradition. Yes, you heard that right—two times! So, if you find yourself repeating an activity and calling it a tradition after just a couple of rounds, congratulations, you’re doing it right!

Family Traditions are Unique to Each Family

Traditions are as unique as fingerprints. They reflect what’s important to each family, showcasing a little bit of their personality. They help kids feel like they’re part of something special, fostering a sense of belonging and creating a family identity. It’s like wearing a badge that says, “This is my tribe, and we do this awesome thing together.”

I’ll admit, traditions weren’t something I gave much thought to until I became a parent. Then, like magic, the traditions I grew up with (and the ones I wanted to start) began to appear. Celebrating birthdays with a special breakfast? Yes, please…because I remember how important that was to me as a kid. Bringing every stuffed animal into the living room on Christmas morning to guard the presents? My husband’s family did it, so now, we do too.

What’s fascinating is how different each family’s traditions can be. My brothers couldn’t care less about the birthday breakfast. But, they have their own traditions they hold dear, based on their childhood memories. It makes me wonder which of our family traditions my kids will carry on. Will they pass down the birthday breakfasts or the Christmas guard animals? Or will they invent new ones that hold meaning for them?

Borrowing Traditions

However, just because family traditions are unique to each family, doesn’t mean you always have to come up with them on your own. In fact, some of the best traditions are borrowed! Once you start noticing traditions, you’ll find yourself on the lookout for fun and meaningful activities that other families are doing, and you might think, “Hey, we could do that!” And guess what? You totally can!

I love chatting with friends about how they celebrate holidays or special occasions. Hearing about their family traditions gives me so many great ideas that I can tweak and make our own. It’s like a buffet of happiness; you can pick and choose what works for your family.

I even remember doing this as a kid. My childhood friend Katie’s family had this hilarious and heartwarming tradition of celebrating their pets’ birthdays. They’d bake a cake (for the humans), make treats for the pets, and even create homemade cards. Then everyone would sit around, eating cake, and taking turns telling funny or sweet stories about the pet. It was the best, and I asked my parents if we could throw our dog a birthday party, too. And just like that, a new tradition was born.

The beauty of borrowing traditions is that you can start anywhere. If you hear about a fun or meaningful tradition that resonates with you, try it out. If it fits, fantastic! And if not, no worries. You can always move on to something else. The key is to discover what brings happiness to your family, what makes you laugh, or what brings you closer together.

Traditions Bring Comfort

Besides making everyone feel all warm and fuzzy inside, traditions provide stability. Life can be chaotic (hello, parenthood!), but knowing that every fall, you’ll have a pumpkin carving contest or on your birthday, you get to choose a special meal gives the kids something predictable and consistent to look forward to. It’s comforting, like a cozy blanket on a cold night.

I’ve also found that repeating experiences as traditions helps kids let their guard down. For example, each year when we visit the carnival pumpkin patch, it’s a mix of the familiar and the new. The kids come with memories from past years of the fun things they did, yet each experience is different because they’re growing, changing, and seeing the world through new eyes. And honestly, these familiar and comfortable repeat experiences are a chance for my older kids to let go of their pre-teen growing-up concerns and act like carefree kids again. Maybe it’s the comfort of knowing they’ve done it before; maybe it’s just the joy of letting loose like they did when they were here as little kids.

Traditions Should Be Fun

But let’s be honest, traditions are also about having fun. If you’ve decided to repeat an activity, it’s probably because it was a hit the first time around. If it wasn’t, well, why would you want to repeat it?

When it comes to choosing traditions, the key is to focus on what sparks joy for everyone involved. Get the kids in on the action by letting them help pick activities they love and would like to repeat. Ask them what they enjoyed most about past family outings or holidays and watch their faces light up as they recall their favorite moments. These are the seeds of your future traditions!

Sometimes, traditions sneak up on you. They aren’t always meticulously planned; they can be happy accidents. Some of our favorite traditions started because we tried something once, had a blast, and decided it was worth repeating.

Remember, the most fun traditions are the ones that bring genuine happiness, not just to you but to the entire family. Pay attention to what makes everyone laugh, what gets the kids excited, and what leaves everyone feeling closer. Those are the traditions worth holding onto, the ones that will become cherished memories for years to come.

Intention & Planning Traditions

The tricky part about traditions is that they require intention. You can’t just hope they happen; you have to make them happen. Yes, that takes effort and planning, but isn’t that what makes them special? The best things in life often require a bit of effort.

And look, we’re not here to guilt-trip you into doing more or add a million things to your to-do list. We get it – there’s already so much to do! However, we think traditions are important enough to pay them a bit of attention. They’re worth the effort.

And we’re here to help, inspire, and maybe give you a few ideas. If all you do is keep one tradition alive or try out a new one, you’re doing great. We can’t do it all, but we can do something.

Tips for Keeping Family Traditions Alive

Be Intentional

Starting a new family tradition or keeping existing ones alive does take a bit of intentionality, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A little planning and forethought go a long way. Marking your calendar, setting reminders, or jotting things down in a planner can help ensure that traditions don’t slip through the cracks amidst the chaos of daily life. And let’s be real—there will be times when keeping up with traditions feels impossible, whether you’re in the trenches with a new baby, going through a rough patch, or dealing with grief. That’s okay. Missing a year doesn’t mean a tradition has to end; it just means you’re human. Sometimes, traditions can be adapted to fit your current season of life, preserving the same sense of connection and joy. It’s about capturing the feeling of the tradition, not about sticking to a rigid script.

Keep It Simple

Not every tradition has to be an elaborate event or require lots of planning and preparation. Sometimes, the simplest traditions are the most cherished. A monthly movie night with popcorn, a favorite fall hike, or a special dinner by candlelight can become treasured traditions that your family looks forward to. Keeping traditions simple not only makes them easier to implement but also keeps them stress-free and affordable. It’s the shared moments, the laughter, and the togetherness that count, not the size or cost of the event.

Be Open to Trying New Things

Traditions don’t just come out of thin air—they start by trying new things. You never know what’s going to be fun or what will stick until you give it a shot. The tried-and-true familiar traditions are wonderful, of course, but even those were once new and untested. Don’t be afraid to shake things up and add fresh experiences to your family’s lineup, even if you already have plenty of beloved traditions. Exploring new activities together not only keeps things exciting but also opens up opportunities to discover new passions and create even more memories.

Scrap What Doesn’t Work

Traditions should bring joy, not feel like a chore or another item on your endless to-do list. The best ones are the activities that the family has voted as fun, maybe even legendary—approved by all as worth doing again and again. If a tradition starts to feel more like a burden than a joy, it’s time to reevaluate.

Choose Your Own Family Traditions

We’ve talked about how wonderful traditions can be for bringing families closer together, creating lasting memories, and building a sense of belonging. But now it’s time to take the next step…creating your own!

I’d love to challenge you to think outside the box, try new things, and discover what kind of traditions could add that extra sprinkle of magic to your family’s story. (Bonus points if your new tradition happens OUTSIDE, but it doesn’t have to.)

A Mix of Old and New

First, let’s talk about trying new things. The beauty of traditions is that they can start from almost anything. Whether it’s a spontaneous pizza night that turns into a weekly ritual or a one-time nature hike that everyone loved so much it becomes an annual event, traditions often begin as simple, fun activities.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what sticks. The key is to find something that brings joy, not just to the kids but to you as well. After all, if the parents aren’t having fun, it’s not going to last long as a tradition!

Think back to your own childhood. What traditions did your family have that you loved? Was it the way your family decorated the house for the holidays, an annual camping trip with friends, or maybe just the little rituals, like making pancakes on Sunday mornings or reading together before bedtime?

These memories can be a great source of inspiration for creating new traditions with your own family. What worked for you back then might work for your family now, and you can even put your own spin on it to make it uniquely yours.

Now, let’s take a look at what you’re already doing. Chances are, there are activities you do regularly that could easily become traditions with a little intention. Do you have a favorite meal that everyone loves? Make it a regular thing! Is there a park your family enjoys visiting? Turn it into a monthly outing. Sometimes, traditions are just waiting to be recognized. By putting a name to them and committing to do them regularly, you can turn everyday moments into cherished memories.

Remember, the goal is not to add more to your plate but to enrich your family life in a way that feels natural and joyful. Start with something small and manageable, and see where it leads. You don’t need a grand plan—just a willingness to have fun and make memories together.

Seasonal Traditions

• Fruit Picking: Spend a day at a local farm picking fresh fruit (such as strawberries, peaches, and apples) and enjoying the outdoors.
• Fall Camping: Head out to your local state park (or your backyard) to enjoy the autumn colors, crisp fall air, roast marshmallows, and sleep under the stars.
• Winter Solstice: Celebrate the shortest day of the year with a candle-lit dinner, bonfire, hot chocolate, lantern walk, or quiet reflection to welcome the return of longer days.
• Seasonal Bucket Lists: Each season, work together to make a list of must-do activities to experience the best of what each time of year has to offer.
• Pumpkin Carving Contest: Hosting a friendly competition to see who can carve the funniest, scariest, or most artistic designs.
• Vegetable Garden: Plant and tend to a garden together, or give each kid their own plant to take care of.
• First Snowfall Walk: Bundle up and take a walk around your neighborhood to enjoy the magic of the first snow (bonus: add hot chocolate).
• Attend Festivals: Visit local festivals to celebrate seasonal events, enjoy live music, crafts, food, and activities. Festivals usually happen annually without you having to do any work other than attending!
• Leaf Peeping Road Trip: Take a scenic drive to enjoy the vibrant fall foliage and maybe stop for a picnic or hike along the way.
• Morel Mushroom Hunting: Get in the woods to hunt for morel mushrooms, a fun and rewarding spring activity for the whole family.
• Stargazing Night: Pick a clear evening to spread out blankets and gaze at the stars, trying to spot constellations or watch for shooting stars.
• Firefly Catching: Head outside on a warm summer night to catch fireflies, then release them and watch them light up the night.
• Beach Day at the Start of Summer: Kick off the summer season with a trip to the beach, complete with swimming, sandcastle building, and a picnic.

Birthday Traditions

• Special Dinner/Breakfast: Celebrate birthdays with a special breakfast or dinner, featuring the birthday person’s favorite foods or let them choose their meal/restaurant.
• Birthday Plate: Use a special plate reserved only for birthday meals, making the birthday person feel extra special on their day.
• 10th Birthday Trip: Mark the milestone of turning ten with a special one-on-one trip to a destination of their choice with a parent.
• Surprise Balloons: Fill the birthday person’s room with balloons while they sleep, so they wake up to a colorful surprise.
• Birthday Journal: Instead of cards, maintain a family birthday journal where each year, everyone writes a message, memory, or wish for the birthday person.
• Special Delivery: Arrange for a special lunch, sweet treat, or bouquet of flowers to be delivered to the birthday person at school.
• Birthday Countdown: Start a countdown a week before the birthday, doing small surprises or activities each day leading up to the big day.
• Birthday Interview: Record an annual birthday interview asking the birthday person about their favorite things, dreams, and memorable moments from the past year.
• DIY Birthday Decor: Create a custom birthday banner or wreath to display for every family birthday.
• Birthday Movie Night: Let the birthday person choose a movie, snacks, and invite friends or family for a cozy birthday movie night.

Holiday Traditions

• Holiday Book Countdown: Countdown to the big day by letting the kids unwrap and read a holiday-themed book each night.
• Leprechaun Traps: Let the kids get creative and build a trap to set out the night before St. Patrick’s Day in hopes of catching a leprechaun and gold!
• Special Ornament for Each Kid: Give each child a unique ornament based on their interests, achievements or milestones for the year
• Easter Camping Trip: Instead of Easter dinner, take the family camping with an Easter egg hunt for a memorable outdoor holiday celebration.
• Valentine’s Day Heart Hunt: Head out for a family hike and see how many heart-shaped items you can find in nature.
• Halloween Costume Parade: Organize a neighborhood parade where kids (and adults) can show off their Halloween costumes before trick-or-treating.
• Cut Your Own Tree: Head to a local tree farm to cut down your own Christmas tree, making it a family adventure.
• Fishing Day for Father’s Day: Spend the day by the water, casting lines and enjoying quality time together on Father’s Day.
• Mother’s Day Bouquet and Cards: Celebrate Mom by picking wildflowers and creating homemade cards filled with heartfelt messages.
• Turkey Trot: Participate in a local turkey trot race or fun run on Thanksgiving morning, making room for the big feast later.
• Plant a Tree for Arbor Day: Celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree in your yard or community, giving back to the earth.
• Place Flags on Memorial Day: Honor fallen soldiers by placing flags on graves or around your neighborhood on Memorial Day.
• Canned Food Drive for Thanksgiving: Organize a family canned food drive, collecting and donating food to a local food bank to help those in need.
• Banging New Year: Head outside and ring in the New Year with a bang by making noise by banging pots and pans with spoons at midnight (or earlier, if you have little ones).
• Chinese New Year Dumpling Making: Celebrate Chinese New Year by making dumplings together, a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
• Rosh Hashanah Apple Dipping: Celebrate the Jewish New Year by dipping apples in honey together, symbolizing the wish for a sweet new year.
• Year-End Photo Slideshow: Create a slideshow of favorite family photos from the past year, watching it together to reminisce and celebrate the year’s memories.
• Christmas Pajama Hike: Bundle up in cozy pajamas and take a hike on Christmas morning, enjoying the winter landscape and fresh air.
• Hanukkah Dreidel Tournament: Host a family dreidel tournament during Hanukkah, with chocolate coins or small prizes for the winners.
• Diwali Light Decorating: Decorate your home with colorful lights and diyas (oil lamps) to celebrate the Festival of Lights, Diwali.
• Fourth of July Fireworks Picnic: Enjoy a picnic in the park, complete with a homemade feast, and stay to watch the Fourth of July fireworks.
• Veterans Day Family Visit: Visit a local veterans’ memorial or cemetery, teaching children about the importance of honoring those who served.

Family Traditions Around Food

• Friday Night Pizza: Make every Friday a special night by ordering pizza and enjoying a relaxed family meal together.
• Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls: Start the weekend on a sweet note by making Grandma’s famous cinnamon rolls every Sunday morning or for special occasions.
• Fancy Dinner: Elevate a regular meal by getting dressed up, setting the table with the good china, lighting candles, and enjoying a fancy dinner together.
• Back to School Feast: Kick off the new school year with a big feast, letting each kid invite their school friends over to share excitement about the year ahead.
• Soup for the Sick: Show love and care by preparing chicken noodle soup and biscuits for anyone feeling under the weather.
• Chili Cook-Off: Host an annual chili cook-off with neighbors, where everyone brings their best chili recipe to share and compete.
• Homemade Ice Cream: Spend a summer afternoon making homemade ice cream, experimenting with different flavors and toppings.
• Fondue Night: Gather around the table for a fun fondue night, dipping bread, fruits, and veggies into melted cheese or chocolate.
• Backyard Campfire Cookout: Fire up the backyard fire pit for a cookout, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows under the stars.
• Lemonade Stand: Teach kids about entrepreneurship and community by setting up a lemonade stand on a warm day.
• Family Recipe Night: Dedicate one night a month to cooking a dish from an old family recipe, passing down culinary traditions and stories.
• Sunday Potluck with Friends: Invite friends over for a casual Sunday potluck, where everyone brings a dish to share and enjoys a relaxed meal together.
• Baking Cookies: Gather the family to bake and decorate cookies for holidays, making enough to share with friends and neighbors.
• Weekly Farmers Market Visit: Make a weekly trip to the farmers market to pick out fresh, seasonal produce and enjoy local treats.
• Family Pizza Making Night: Set up a DIY pizza station with various toppings, letting everyone create their own personal pizza masterpiece.
• New Recipe Try-Out Day: Choose a day each month to try out a new recipe together, turning cooking into a fun family adventure.

Other Fun Family Traditions

• Attend Sporting Events: Cheer on your favorite team or alma mater by attending games together, creating lasting memories and showing team/school loyalty.
• Front Porch Thunderstorms: Enjoy the thrill and beauty of nature by sitting on the front porch together to watch thunderstorms roll in.
• Tech-Free Week: Unplug from technology for a week, focusing on outdoor adventures, board games, and family bonding.
• Last Day of School Campout: Celebrate the end of the school year with a backyard campout, complete with a tent, s’mores, and star-gazing.
• Have a “Yes Day”: Give your kids the reins by having a “Yes Day,” where they get to plan the day’s activities and parents say yes to all reasonable requests.
• Date Your Kids: Spend quality time with each child by having regular one-on-one outdoor date nights, whether it’s hiking, biking, or going to the park.
• Vacation Souvenirs: Start a collection of natural souvenirs by picking up a rock, shell, or leaf from each vacation spot you visit.
• Seasonal Family Hike: Choose a local trail and hike it together at the beginning of each season to enjoy the changing scenery and fresh air.
• Fishing Saturdays: Head to a nearby lake or river for a relaxing Saturday morning of fishing, enjoying nature and each other’s company.
• Bike Ride to a Ice Cream Shop: Make it a tradition to take a family bike ride to your favorite local ice cream shop whenever the weather is nice.
• Annual Family Picnic: Choose a favorite park or scenic spot for an annual family picnic, bringing homemade food, games, and blankets.
• Weekend Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items to find in nature and head to a local park or forest for a fun scavenger hunt adventure.
• Snow Day Sledding: Take advantage of snowy days by heading to a nearby hill for an afternoon of sledding and hot cocoa.
• Kite Flying Afternoon: Spend a breezy afternoon flying kites in an open field, enjoying the simple joy of watching them soar.
• Volunteer Day in Nature: Dedicate one day a year to volunteering together in a local park, beach, or nature reserve, helping with clean-up or conservation efforts.
• Sunrise Breakfast Picnic: Wake up early to catch the sunrise at a scenic spot, enjoying a simple breakfast picnic while watching the day begin.
• Geocaching Adventures: Go on regular geocaching hunts, searching for hidden treasures and exploring new places together as a family.
• Seasonal Tree Planting: Plant a tree each spring or fall in your yard or community, teaching the importance of environmental stewardship and watching it grow over the years.
• Full Moon Hike: Organize a nighttime hike under the full moon, enjoying the quiet and unique experience of being in nature after dark.

Traditions Root Us

Traditions are like the roots of a family tree, grounding us in what’s important and helping us grow. They’re the stories we tell, the memories we share, and the moments we hold onto. They’re what make us a family, even once we’ve grown and started families of our own.

So, go ahead—start a new tradition this season, or revisit an old one. The beauty of traditions is that they’re yours to create, shape, and pass down. And who knows? Maybe one day, your kids will be telling their kids about the quirky, wonderful things you did together, creating a legacy of laughter, love, and the great outdoors.

About the Author

Sara McCarty is the Founder of Run Wild My Child, a resource website, online community, podcast, and seasonal magazine all about connecting families through outdoor activities, adventure, and travel. Run Wild My Child offers busy parents helpful content about outdoor activities, nature crafts, kid-friendly travel, gear recommendations, parenting advice, and more. Sara’s a mom of 3, a wife, and a former corporate securities lawyer turned writer. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and is determined to raise her city kids to be as wild and feral as possible. You can usually find her family exploring a creek, fly fishing, hiking, duck hunting, camping, canoeing, biking, or geocaching.