Think about your favorite holiday activity. Is it decorating the Christmas tree, baking cookies with all the icing and sprinkles? Do you enjoy singing Christmas carols or having all your family and friends over for a fun evening playing board games and white elephant gift exchanges? Maybe you and your family travelled over the holidays. What was important to you? What feelings do those memories invoke?

Traditions play an important role in our lives, especially at this time of year. 

When we have full calendars and are trying to find a spare moment to pause and take a breath from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, holiday traditions can be a reminder of fond memories of the past and give us a sense of structure and routine to the busyness of the holidays.

There are many benefits to carrying on traditions and starting new ones with new friends and growing families:

Stability, Grounding, and Connection

Traditions can foster stronger connections with our loved ones, give us a sense of grounding, and can create shared memories with the important people in our lives. The world around us can be chaotic. Having a sense of stability and being around loved ones reduces stress and provides comfort. Traditions also provide a social identity and belonging, as many of these are shared experiences with family and friends.

Emotional Wellness

Traditions typically invoke positive memories of nostalgia and provide us with happy memories of simpler times. This provides stress reduction and a mood booster, releasing those feel-good endorphins! They can also be a mindful experience, as traditions help us be engaged at one thing at a time and be present for that special moment.

When Old Traditions Change

As the years pass by, your family and friends’ circle changes and grows. Traditions may need to be adapted and evolve to meet the needs of you and everyone around you. This is not always a negative experience, if done with care and thoughtfulness. Moving to another state, children growing up and starting their own family, or the loss of a loved one are major changes that may require traditions as old as time to look a little bit different this year, going forward. Be gentle on yourself, as you may experience a sense of loss with the changing of a long-held custom.

You can still honor your past while embracing a new phase of life and the new possibilities that come with change!

Starting New Traditions

If you want to start a new tradition with your family or friends, do it! This can benefit your mental wellbeing and foster new connections and creativity for you and your support network. Identify what you and your family cherish most about the holiday season.

Do you love being together? Do you have a charity you always support in December? Do you enjoy traveling to a new place and making new experiences and memories together? Decide as a family what is most important and brainstorm ideas that are in line with your values.

Once you have identified the ideas, put them into action! Maybe you:

• Start up a neighborhood toy drive for a local shelter.
• Have a crafting and game night with friends.
• Go on a winter hike and play in the snow!

Pick a date on the calendar and stick to it. The more consistent you are from the beginning, the more likely you are to make the tradition become an annual event. The more you share about what you are doing, the likelihood of it continuing also increases. Start small and pick one thing to try this holiday season.

Involve your children! They are a vital part of keeping traditions alive for years to come. Explain the meaning of what you are doing so that they understand the value of the activity. Sharing memories of age-old traditions helps children feel connected to the past and get to know family members who may no longer be with us.

What will you do this holiday season to keep your traditions alive and well…or will you start a new one altogether? Do something that is meaningful for you and your family and invokes all the feel-good memories you deserve!

Amy Tilley, PsyD. has 20 years in the mental health and addiction recovery field. Her clinical interests include working with young adults and adults diagnosed with co-occurring conditions. 

Desert Star Addiction Recovery Center
Visit desertstarARC.com /call 520-638-6000