Amidst the many never-ending activities lies a secret ingredient of living a happier, more connected family life, and that is keeping traditions alive in the family. They are not just old habits, but a manner of life that is woven into the fabric of your family heritage. Giving you and those around you a strong sense of identity, of belonging, and of all the good memories with your loved ones.
Living in Europe with your family already takes you out of your community, but your family traditions can be sustained. Get ready to discover ways by which you can keep your family traditions alive even if you’re miles away.
Types of Family Traditions You Can Embrace
When traditions are mentioned, we automatically jump to big holidays. But hold on! The world of family traditions is far greater and richer than all those festive occasions! And here are some you have probably not thought about:
Traditional Holidays: These holidays are wonderful, too! Think of Christmas Eve buildup, lavish Eid celebrations, shiny Diwali festivities, cozy Thanksgiving dinner, or those amusing, quirky New Year’s traditions; they are nice. But what about Homowo festival, Timkat, Maitisong Festival, The Gerewol Festival, and lots more?
Simple Family Routines: Don’t look down on the power of those small, ordinary family gatherings! We have unsung heroes of family togetherness, like family pictures on Sunday mornings, pancake breakfasts on Saturdays, Family Movie night on Friday with the towering pyramids of popcorn, those bedtime stories with kids, or even weekend family visits to the parks.
Family Celebrations: Other than major holidays, family members achieve milestones that are worth celebrating. Maybe it’s a special birthday breakfast in bed, anniversary dinners, graduation sitting, garden parties, or even a unique little family tradition for celebrating personal achievement, big or small.
Traditions from Heritage: These traditions closely connect families with their heritage. This might include whipping up and sharing traditional recipes, trying to speak or learn ancestral languages, sharing inspiring stories about some ancestors, or participating in special, long-standing cultural traditions inherited from generations.
How to Keep Family Traditions Alive
Ready to sprinkle some traditional magic onto your family life? It’s not about being perfect, but being intentional and consistent. Here are some friendly, very basic steps to help you nurture and build those lovely family traditions.
- Start Small & Sweet: Don’t try to do too much in trying to have and sustain this massive, complex old tradition all at once. While you may not be able to recreate the big ones back home immediately, you can pick some simple aspects of it and start. The goal is to start actually and then watch it grow with consistency.
- Get Everyone Involved!: Traditions truly shine when everyone feels like they have a part in it. Ask each family member, especially the children! They’re far more likely to accept and value these activities because they always find something new.
- Keep Memories and share with those back home: Capture those precious moments in pictures and videos. Share them with those back home to create a connection.
Overcoming Challenges of Keeping Family Traditions Alive
Life always happens, we get it, but there’s something about motivated people; they never give up. You want to keep your family traditions is all that matters. You can overcome every hurdle, no matter what it is about.
Tight Schedules: I mean, for anyone who lives in Europe, who doesn’t have one? But rather than throw away the idea of worrying about time, plan it out and create the time. No matter how busy people are, they know how to create time for what matters to them. So does this matter to you? Then, you can make the time.
Generational Gaps: Oftentimes, the younger generations will not simply get in line with older family traditions immediately. The secret is to figure out where you can meet in the middle. Maybe you can modernize some things, but leave the core values untouched.
Conclusion
Having and observing a family tradition is a great way to preserve family heritage and build stronger family bonds even while living miles away. From wonderful annual celebrations to those tasty, simple weekly family routines, each shared moment contributes to a richer family tradition, one moment to another. Start small and simple, and watch it bloom into an activity every member of your family looks forward to.
