From Christmas tree rentals to virtual cookie baking parties, modern holiday traditions are becoming the heart of the season
The warmth and joy of the holiday season bring out the best in people. It’s an excellent time to gather with loved ones for a multigenerational reunion where reinventing holiday traditions strengthens familial bonds and creates lasting memories. Whether that’s baking cookies at grandma’s (or virtually), attending annual dinner parties with the in-laws, or experiencing Christmas markets and light shows, each family has customs that make the season special to them.
Over time, long-standing practices morph into more modern holiday traditions. As kids get older, the nostalgic versions often get buried under new rituals. However, introducing new family holiday ideas can be a lot of fun and an innovative way to bond with loved ones. Here are some modern twists on traditional holiday practices that anyone can incorporate into their upcoming Yuletide plans.
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#1 – ‘Home Away from Home’ Holiday Traditions for Reunions
‘Tis the season to spend time and bond with family, and many often do so by hosting familial gatherings at home. However, over the past decade or so, people have been adopting modern holiday traditions that bring them out of the house and into new environments full of unique experiences.
Many families choose to reunite with multiple generations during the holidays, which often means traveling and staying away from home. With the abundance of vacation rental apps, such as Airbnb and VRBO, groups can travel to destinations and stay near extended family or explore a new place together, making the holidays a memorable group experience. But taking the holidays out of the house does not mean traditions are left behind.
Set Up Temporary Decorations
Bring the spirit of the season to a vacation rental with portable holiday decorations. Staying in a rental can sometimes feel like being away from home. Setting up temporary decor can liven up just about any base camp. For Christmas lovers, decorating the tree is one of the biggest traditions worldwide. With portable Christmas trees and tree rentals in just about every location, families can enjoy tree decorating no matter where they stay. For smaller options, consider tabletop trees or skinny versions that fit in corners.
Travel to Diverse Destinations
A popular family pastime is looking at festive lights and sparkling homes adorned with beloved holiday characters and pop culture scenes. Traveling does not mean giving up the cherished tradition. In fact, this presents the opportunity to experience local cultures and decorations in different settings, witnessing firsthand how other cities, states and countries observe the season.
Many holiday destinations, such as Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which are known for having a memorable holiday scene, hold holiday light festivals, parades and activities that are perfect for multigenerational families.
BONUS: Light up your holiday itinerary! Discover the spirit of the season at 21 Top Christmas Light Shows in the U.S. to Brighten the Holidays and inspire generations during your next reunion.
Reinventing Holiday Traditions Abroad
Groups can also discover and adapt new customs by exploring different holiday experiences worldwide. The Swiss Alps are a notable holiday destination, offering families a wealth of experiences. The Alps are known for spectacular traditions, including Christmas markets, caroling, and outdoor leisure activities such as skiing, as well as their very own tradition of “Samichlaus” (Santa Night). Held on December 6 each year, Samichlaus marks the arrival of Christmas and allows groups to enjoy visits with Santa Claus and town festivities.
All-Inclusive Holiday Reunions
Groups can also choose all-inclusive holiday vacations for stress-free reunions, complete with festive decorations and holiday cheer. Many properties offer special holiday packages for groups and families, making it accessible and streamlined.
If that appeals to you, take a look at these spectacular 6 Family-Friendly Resorts for Winter Festivities that transform into incredible holiday wonderlands, including light shows and festive celebrations. And with unforgettable seasonal activities and themed attractions for all ages, these resorts provide a memorable holiday experience for the entire family.
#2 – Keep It Simple: Minimalist and Eco-Friendly Holiday Ideas
The holiday season is a big part of humanity; no matter where you go, it often consists of lengthy celebrations and numerous opportunities to gather with loved ones. But holidays do not always have to be big and extravagant, especially for those with older children and primarily adults.
Affordable Gift-Giving Solutions
Minimalist holidays have become popular over recent years. One of the most well-known group gift-giving traditions is Secret Santa. This custom focuses on one person receiving a gift from another person whose identity is secret, making it ideal for large groups. It also helps protect the pockets, as holidays can be a financially stressful time of year. Websites such as Elfster help make this tradition easier and more accessible for families.
Another minimalist holiday tradition includes DIY gifts. Having a standard for “do-it-yourself” creations allows families to make thoughtful keepsakes with sentimental value, rather than focusing on price tags and finding the “perfect gift.”
The Memento of Memorable Experiences
Other traditions that highlight the minimalist aesthetic while also giving groups the same enjoyable holiday atmosphere are experience gifts, such as family outings. Travelling to museums, outdoor light shows, and events, such as holiday plays and concerts, gives families the gift of community and celebrating time together. The feeling can also be met by making a tradition out of family volunteering for holiday drives, at soup kitchens and other holiday events that give back to the community.
Eco-Friendly Holiday Practices
For families who strive to be more eco-friendly during the holidays, there are tons of new ways to keep the environment in mind while celebrating. To reduce waste, many brands, such as Faire, offer reusable gift wrapping paper. Reusable gift wrap helps promote sustainability and is cost-efficient.
Another way to promote sustainability and eco-conscious efforts is to limit extensive travel by carpooling. As the holidays are a time for families to get together, carpooling promotes community while also reducing individual emissions. Sustainability is an essential consideration during the holidays, as this is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Each family can play a small part in supporting the bigger picture by working together. It’s possible to be more mindful and less wasteful while continuing holiday traditions.
Upcycling & Natural Decorations
Traditions like Christmas tree decorating and holiday decorations can also be eco-friendly. Reusing décor, such as ornaments, and upcycling help reduce waste generated during the holiday season. This can also be done by using natural elements, such as real plants, pinecones, and dried fruit, for decorative purposes.
#3 – Virtual Holiday Celebrations
In a post-pandemic world, platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams have been widely used for both business and personal purposes. These platforms offer loved ones the chance to gather during the holidays, despite the distance between them or busy schedules that come with the end of the year.
Family Gatherings Online
For families who can’t always get together, virtual platforms offer different ways to keep holiday traditions alive. Activities such as family trivia, cookie baking, and video gift openings can be done across screens. While getting together during the holidays is fun, the help of Zoom and other virtual platforms is helping create greater accessibility for gathering.
Alexander Gadomski, a U.S. Navy veteran, has extensive experience using virtual platforms to interact with his family, dating back to his time as an active-duty service member.
“Being away from my family was tough, especially during Christmas. I always sent gifts to my little siblings, but it hurt not to see their reactions on Christmas Day. Within the last few years, I started having scheduled Zoom calls with my family during the Christmas party and on Christmas Day so I could still feel like I was a part of the traditions we used to do when I was at home.”
#4 – Craft Modern Holiday Traditions with Food
Bringing diverse cultural dishes into the mix is a great way to modernize the holidays and create a welcoming atmosphere for large groups. Food is often a way to the heart, and embracing the diversity of cultures through cuisine promotes community and family in a whole new way.
From sharing Thanksgiving dinners to Christmas cookie-baking parties, families have long developed holiday traditions around food. Sometimes the menu is full of beloved staples and remains the same every year. But especially for larger groups and blended families, seasonal menus can easily adapt to modern holiday traditions, such as adding cultural cuisines.
Holiday Menu Mashup: Blending Heritage
Many American food staples include ham and turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a variety of side dishes. But staples range depending on culture. For mixed-heritage families and groups looking to spice up their usual routine, holiday dinners can include all the American essentials, along with a mix of heritage-rich foods, such as tamales, pozole, jollof rice, dumplings, and more.
To embrace variety, start exploring tasty menu mashups that blend dishes from different cultures. Tamales, a Mexican dish beloved by many, can be adapted to use turkey instead of pork, incorporating American cuisine as well. Pierogi, traditionally from Poland, are also a great way to introduce a new dish to holiday dinners, as they pair well with traditional cuisine and appeal to many palates.
#5 – Preserve Family Roots
As holidays become more involved each year, consisting of grander festivities, practices and events, it is easy for old customs to be forgotten. It may seem unrealistic to incorporate modern holiday traditions with beloved long-standing ones, but that is far from the truth. Modernizing seasonal customs without losing their sentimental value can be done in many ways.
Mix Traditional with Modern
Embracing differences is the beauty in creating new holiday practices. Keep the same structures of old traditions, such as visiting light shows, Christmas markets and enjoying family dinners, and combine them with new cultural cuisines and travelling to new destinations to experience unique holiday celebrations.
Incorporate Sentimental Anchors
While reinventing holiday traditions means changing habits, it is also essential to hold onto sentimental anchors, such as reusing holiday decorations like family heirloom ornaments, nativity scenes and China sets. Groups can also continue their traditional Christmas festivities, such as caroling, ugly Christmas sweaters, and cooking family recipes, to achieve the same sense of nostalgia.
As families grow and the world changes each year, new customs and cultures will be introduced, and traditions will transform. But the goal of modernizing holiday traditions is not to forget timeless rituals. Instead, make them bigger and better than before. Just like the saying goes, “the more, the merrier.”
Cheri Albright, a Chicago native who has spent the past 50 years of her holidays with her mom, sister, and all her nieces, great-nieces, and nephews, sees the importance of modernizing the holiday spirit.
“Growing up, my family and I always did the same traditions every year. It was sentimental and special, but as our family has expanded and my nieces have married into other cultures, I find the beauty of bringing changes to our holidays. It is not about keeping the old and rejecting the new, but more about making our traditions bigger than we ever could have thought.”
Bring Your Ideas to Life
This season, if you’re looking to start a new and modern holiday tradition, there are some things to keep in mind. Does it complement an old one you loved as a kid? Do you think this new tradition will bring your family closer together this holiday season? New traditions are a great way to spark fun and creativity, so ask around, get opinions, and see if there is anything you should add to make the new practice a hit this year.
Encourage your family to come up with new ideas for the holiday season, too! After all, the season is about bonding with your family, and hearing their ideas will make introducing a new tradition much easier. If your family is all about togetherness, make it a plan to incorporate everyone’s ideas to make this season feel like a nostalgic holiday with a modern twist!
Destination Reunions is a perfect place to start planning your holiday away from home! With blog posts highlighting hidden gems across the country, bring Yuletide magic to your reunion this holiday season.
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By Stephanie Aguilar
