Family traditions for 2020

For many of us, our family and holiday traditions for 2020 look a little different this year! If you are having to re-think your annual traditions, we are sharing some that we love and even came up with a few new ones for you to try with your family!

Tree of Gratitude

The tree of gratitude holds such a significant spot in our family. Each year everyone in our family will write down one or two things they are thankful for on a card. We hang them on a tree, and will usually have the younger cousins read them off (which they love) and will guess who wrote each card.

This means so much to us, not just as a way to be thankful, but as a way to remember. The first year we started this tradition was the last holiday for my cousin, Brooks, who was 10 at the time before he passed. He wrote the he was thankful for his doctors, and we always keep that card at the top of the tree. We are putting my grandpa’s last gratitude card permanently at the top too, as we lost him last January.

We keep all of the cards from the previous years so we can go through and reminisce. The first year we did this I was pregnant with Bee, and it was the first Thanksgiving that I was able to spend with my family in five years (since I always had to work on Thanksgiving Day at the hospital). It is so fun to see what I was thankful for that year and what my family has been thankful for in the past!

Materials: tree, scalloped cards, rectangle cards & ribbon

Indoor Winter Wonderland

Lauren’s girls LOVED this one! You can set up overnight and surprise your littles with a winter wonderland! They played in this ALL morning, and even came up with a ‘hide the reindeer’ game (parents hide the reindeer in the balloons and see who could find it first). The balloon pumping is quick and easy with this electric balloon pump and you can use masking tape for the streamers and garland.
*Be cautious with balloons under age 4.

Materials: balloons, electric balloon pump, masking tape, streamers, garland, ornaments, similar reindeer here or santa themed here

DIY Igloo

Natalie and her family set up this DIY igloo with with their dome climber, a tarp and some painter’s plastic. They had a BLAST! The wind and the cold didn’t bother them, they just laughed and ran all over the place. They all worked together to tape the plastic to the jungle gym and it ended up being so warm inside that they played out there together for 3 HOURS!

Don’t have a dome ? Don’t worry! Try it with a build-your-own-fort kit and a sheet or plastic. Build it indoors and have a picnic!

*Be sure to keep a close watch with children and plastic.

materials: dome climber, tarp, painter’s plastic, build-your-own fort kit, sheet

Snowy Sleepover or Movie

Renée and her daughter, Palmer, set up this dreamy snowy sleepover with a movie.. Such a sweet and simple activity that was perfect for a cold and cuddly night! Renée picked her favorite holiday movie, made popcorn and made it ‘snow’ (with the help of this snowflake light projector). Palmer loved watching the ‘snow’ fall, so she kept it up all week! 💕

Try it at home with any tent (maybe that beach tent that didn’t get much use this year) or build your own with any sheet.

Materials: tent or beach tent,  snow projector

Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch

I can smell these from here! Every year we make these cinnamon rolls from scratch on Thanksgiving. I love this tradition for so many reasons.

We get to spend the day together with the recipe from my grandma’s original Joy of Cooking book (lovingly torn and tattered), using my great-grandma’s bowl, making the dough, adding the yeast, waiting for it to rise and mostly spending time together. My grandma taught my mom, who taught me, and Bee is already a helpful taste-tester!

Materials: joy of cooking (page 563, 565. parker rolls), muffin tins

Felt Snowman

Deema put this felt snowman on the wall and let her little boy create his own snowman! He loved putting the parts in silly places. Tip: take all the pieces off and set them out. Kids love giving the snowman a nose! A great way to keep your little one engaged!

Materials: felt snowman or felt tree

Additional traditions we love

• Winter-themed bath – Try it with blue bath bombs, water-safe lights and these adorable penguin bath toys.

• Drive thru holiday lights display – These have always been popular in our family, and this year they are popping up all over. A great way to enjoy the lights from the comfort of your car.  We are trying this one out in Chicagoland.

• Holiday Elves – Drive by your friends’ houses and drop off goodie bags at their front door.

• Gingerbread houses  – Always a big hit when you can eat your art!

What traditions are you planning on this year? Comment below 👇🏼👇🏾👇🏿

**Bumblebaby makes a small commission on some of the items listed above