The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to create memories with your family. Just a few simple family New Year’s traditions is enough to mark this as a special day.
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New Year’s is a great time for familes to bond over the change in the calendar from one year to the next. I promise that it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. A few simple family New Year’s traditions is really all our kids will remember anyway. Over the years, we have tried many activities, but these 3 traditions are the ones we continue with New Year after New Year.
{We prefer to carry out these 3 simple family New Year’s traditions on the first day of the year. But they could easily be done on New Year’s Eve if that is what your family prefers.}
1. FAMILY JOURNAL
A few years ago, I purchased a leather-bound journal that I bring out once a year. We gather around the table and while everyone shares, I record it in our journal. These moments together are a time where we can look back on the previous year. Under each person’s name, I list what stood out to them about the year and where they saw God moving in their life. It’s amazing to hear each person’s take on the year and what moments made the biggest impact upon them.
After reflecting upon the previous year, we shift our discussion towards the upcoming year. We all have already thought about some goals for the coming year and so, this is a time to share them publicly with our family. There is an opportunity to ask questions and hear the heart behind their focus for this new year ahead. As each person shares, I record their goals and thoughts in our journal.
2. SPECIAL NEW YEAR’S TREAT
For us, this means making oliebollen on New Year’s Day. It is a once a year treat that we cook and get to enjoy on the first of the year. Oliebollen is a Dutch donut that reminds me of my younger years at my Dutch grandparents home. My mom passed the recipe on to me and I began making it for my family a few years ago. It’s fun to share a special treat that only comes around once a year.
I shared the entire recipe in a previous post. {Click HERE.} It is a simple and delicious recipe that everyone will love!
3. YEAR IN REVIEW SLIDESHOW
This one is our absolute favorite New Year’s tradition. And today’s technology has made it so simple. We used to pull out all the photo albums from the previous year and look through them. But now, I spend maybe an hour going through photos on my phone that I have taken throughout the year. Placing all of these photos into one “album,” my phone can then create a slideshow of these pictures. It is even possible to add a soundtrack and control the speed of the slideshow.
It is amazing how much you can forget about a year until…someone whips out the photos! My family loves this tradition and we enjoy laughing and reminiscing about the previous year.
There is one caveat for this tradition though: it hinges upon taking photos. I’ve always been a bit crazy about taking photos, even before digital cameras. Moving to a smartphone with a great camera has made this tradition so easy for me. Because I do take photos throughout the year, it is easy to put together this slideshow.
If you haven’t taken a lot of photos this past year, but want to add this New Year’s tradition, do it anyway. Even a 5 minute slideshow would be fun for your family. Once you see how much they’ve enjoyed it, vow to take more photos this coming year. I also challenge you to take photos of the every day life. Everyone enjoys looking back at all the moments of the year.
Just a few intentional moments in your New Year’s can create family traditions that your children will look back on with fond memories. And keeping it simple is the key to making these activities a tradition you will continue year after year.
I’d love to hear about your New Year’s traditions!
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This is great, Leigh!
One thing I appreciate about you is your intentionality, and these simple New Year’s traditions are another example of that. Your family is blessed to have a mom who makes the ordinary special and creates fun family traditions they will remember fondly.
Thank you, Kim. I am a work in progress and trying hard to notice the little moments of life. ♥
Thank you so much for these. Like Kim, one thing I love about you is your intentional way of approaching life and raising a family. Thank you for being you, and happy 2020.
Thank you, Corrie. It’s a blessing to encourage and be encouraged. ♥
Love it. As someone who’s an avid journal keeper, I adore your annual family journal tradition. What a beautiful way to ring in the new year. All the best for 2020!
Thank you, Sylvia. I am not a huge journal keeper, but I wish that I was. This is one that I can stick with. Happy New Year to you too!
I absolutely love your three traditions and I screamed “YES!” when I read the second tradition – I LOVE making oliebollen. I make mine with raisins and roll in powder sugar. Some of the Dutch families around here roll it in brown sugar.
Yay! A fellow Dutchie! 😉 ♥
Look out below! In Puerto Rico, they believe that dumping a bucket of water out the window drives away evil spirits. If that seems a little too unfair to the people who might be passing by, Puerto Ricans also sprinkle sugar outside their houses to invite the good luck in, which is a little sweeter (if you can forgive the pun). In Germany and Austria, there are a few different lucky symbols that you’d gift to friends and family to bring them good fortune. These include pigs, mushrooms, clovers and chimney sweeps. You can buy little tokens of these lucky charms at a Christmas market or get edible ones in fun combinations made out of marzipan. Yum!