Chaos.  Shopping.  Family tension.  If these are the visions dancing in your head during the holidays, it’s time to dream some new dreams.

In the midst of the “must-do’s” of the season, it’s imperative to make time for special events and to create traditions you cherish.  Don’t have many?  Here are a few ideas from my family that you’re welcome to borrow and make your own.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors.  Whether this means an afternoon of sledding with the kids followed by hot chocolate or couples skiing and hot toddies, don that winter jacket and snow boots and get your heart pumping.  If your climate is more temperate, this one’s even easier—ride your bikes or take a hike through the woods.  Let nature—cold temps, or warm—soothe your soul.

Make a Big Deal out of the Tree.  At our house, the choosing and trimming of the tree is a day-long affair.  We head out to a tree farm and tromp through the snow, endlessly, until we find just the right one for us.  (Even if yours comes from a box, you can still make the day an event…keep reading!)  After hauling it home, we’re serenaded by Christmas songs from iTunes while we decorate the house and tree.  Setting up the train and track is the final touch.  During the festivities, I put out a special snack and special beverages for grown-ups and kids alike.  Our kids can’t wait for this day every year, and neither can we.

Serve Together.  There are so many options to serve others throughout the year, and Christmas is a wonderful time to begin this tradition.  You can pack a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child, find a family in need in your town, donate time or resources to a shelter or soup kitchen…the possibilities are endless.  If you’re not sure where to get started, check with a local church.  Even if you’re not a part of their congregation, they’ll be able to point you in the right direction.

Read.  When I was a little girl, my family read a story from Norman Rockwell’s Christmas Book every night as Christmas approached.  My kids look forward to the same tradition.  During Advent, books like Jotham’s Journey create a powerful picture for kids.  And it’s always meaningful to spend each night of Advent reading from the Bible.  Whatever your choice, reading together as a family is a memory your kids will cherish.

Watch a Movie, or Four.  Who can get through the Christmas season without watching The Grinch or It’s a Wonderful Life?  Not us.  Thank goodness for DVR—now we can watch them at our leisure—along with all the others—instead of whenever the networks happen to air them.  Choose your favorites and watch them again and again over the years.

Calm the choas, create traditions you love, and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!

photo credit: Clip Art from Microsoft Office Online