Family Traditions
When you think back to your family of origin, do you recall special traditions geared around birthdays and holidays? Perhaps those traditions centered on certain activities, special people, or the deliciousness of food. Children love special times with family and as celebrations become family traditions, those times provide the ideal setting for joy and laughter to take center stage. In fact, Jennifer Thompson has written a book, The Joy of Family Traditions, highlighting benefits of family traditions:
- lowers stress because traditions reassure and add to our well-being
- traditions serve as an anchor during hard times…life goes on
- they act as a foundation and bring families closer together; establish your family’s culture
If you haven’t determined what those traditions are in your own family, how about starting now?
Perhaps you are familiar with Family Life’s Resurrection Eggs. If not, I want to encourage you to check them out and perhaps purchase a set (available at Amazon). The set includes a carton of 12 plastic eggs, each one filled with a tiny symbol representative of Jesus’s journey to the cross beginning with His ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and ending with an empty egg! A booklet explaining each item accompanies the set. While an Easter egg hunt with the idea of candy stuck inside plastic eggs is fun, how about using the Resurrection Eggs as a tool to teach the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus from Luke 23-24:7.The idea of Easter egg hunts came from Germany. Some say that its origin dates back to the late 16thcentury, when it’s suggested that the Protestant reformer Martin Luther organized egg hunts for his congregation. The men would hide the eggs for the women and children to find. This is symbolic of the fact it was the women who found the empty tomb. I think Easter egg hunts are fun for children, especially when treats or surprises are tucked inside each egg! As children grow older, tuck a little piece of paper inside an egg with a note on it saying, “Good for one back rub; good for an outing with Mom/Dad; good for a playdate with a friend, and so on… This can be especially fun! Of course, you determine when these ‘tickets’ can be cashed in.I love to read the Easter story from the book entitled, The Story of Easter by Andrew Langley, taken from the Gospels, ISBN 0-8317-8026-6. It is a beautifully illustrated, oversized picture book appropriate for young preschoolers. The illustrator, Chris Rothero, while depicting the narrative of Mary and John at the foot of the cross, chose not to illustrate Jesus hanging on the cross. I believe his illustrations are accurate and emotionally appropriate for a young child, even a two-year old. (If you order off Amazon, you will need to include the ISBN number; otherwise, this book will not appear as an option for purchase; the book image is unavailable).Perhaps you have heard of the story of The Tale of Three Trees, retold by Angela Hunt. It is considered an American folktale about three trees whose desires came true in amazing ways. This beautifully illustrated story can be told or read at Christmas or Easter. It is one of my favorites for children.Think about including special books and activities as a part of building your family traditions during holidays and special occasions. As children get older, give them input into suggesting ways to create and shape these occasions. Traditions create a sense of belonging and shared togetherness; they offer children a sense of security and expectation and help create meaningful memories for years to come.