College Counsellor

In studies published by the Journal of the Association of Consumer Research, respondents who participated in traditions over Easter, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, compared with those who didn’t, felt closer to their families and enjoyed the holidays more. Providing a good way to increase the bond between family – especially siblings! Families may think that traditions must fall around the holidays, but that is not the case. Some of the most magical memories are those created at random times throughout childhood.

Some examples include:

• Family/friend BBQs
• Birthday traditions
• Baking cookies/cakes together
• Vacations
• Spring/Summer school holiday fun
• Movie night/games night
• Traditional foods – lamingtons, pavlova, fairy bread, roast lunch
• Pizza night
• Playing in the backyard (footy, cricket, etc.) These are just some that resonate with me, but you may have very different traditions to reflect upon.

As well as:

• New Year traditional meal or activity
• Christmas Traditions
• Easter traditions

In our fast-paced, technology-driven world today, feeling run down is an all-too-familiar feeling for both children and adults. Family traditions can be one of the few constants in a child’s life that keeps them looking forward and on the right path. If you think about it, a nice walk down memory lane can have positive benefits for the entire family. 

“Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help us define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world.” – Susan Lieberman, Life Coach and Author of New Traditions. 

Having family traditions is a great way to provide stability and routine in a child’s life or anyone for that matter. Traditions are moments that children can look forward to when they’re young and then look back on as adults. “Tradition remains one of the few practices that truly belongs to your family and close friends and allows you to cherish the very valuable memories created with your loved ones over the years,” says Huff Post contributor, Daffnee Cohen.

As an adult, I look back on some of these things and realise I have resurrected them in my family in the past and think, what will I revive from the past to bring into the present now? 

Is there something that brought you joy in the past that you’d like to bring into the present?