Interesting Web Site with Great Ideas

Tim’s Top Ten Family Times & Traditions
Holidays

10. Christmas Card Prayer Box – have your kids decorate a shoebox with
Christmas wrapping paper and homemade art. Place this in a prominent spot. As
you receive Christmas cards, place them in the box. Before meals, take out a
card and pray for that family when you thank God for the food. (FT 61)

9. Holiday De-stress Plan – The holidays can quickly become over-scheduled.
To avoid this, have a family meeting in the late fall. Ask each family member to
write or draw on 3 x 5 cards two events or activities they would like to do during
the holidays. Collect the cards and say, “We want to plan the holidays to be fun,
but relaxing. We can’t do it all. Let’s decide, as a family what our Holiday Plan
should be. Go through the suggestions and place a cross on the ones that help
us focus on Christ at Christmas, and place a smiley face on the ones that are the
most fun. Choose a number that seems like a balance between the two
categories and display them on green construction paper as “Our Family Holiday
Plan” in the shape of a Christmas tree. (FT 60)

8. Thanksgiving Corn – Give each person five kernels of corn, reminding them
that the pilgrims did the same thing at the first Thanksgiving with the Native
Americans. Each person is to come up with a thank you God for each kernel. Go
around the table, before the meal and share. Record these in writing as people
share. (FT 67)

7. Mom & Dad’s Anniversary – Kids get birthday parties. The parents should
get one too to celebrate their wedding day! This teaches our kids the importance
of love and commitment. Have a “We’re Still In Love” family party. Bring out the
wedding album, videos of the wedding and memorabilia from your big day. Serve
a candlelit dinner at home. Tell a story about how you met and the qualities that
first attracted you to each other. If you have teenagers, they’ll complain; but be
amused and re-affirmed internally. Serve a small wedding cake and verbally recommit
your vows in front of the kids. (FT 89)

6. New Years Eve Family Party – Set the clocks way ahead and get ready to
celebrate with the kids when the clock strikes “midnight.” Serve chilled sparkling
apple juice in plastic champagne glasses and propose a toast to your healthy
family. Present certificates of achievement for the old year like “learned to ride
bike,” etc. (52 FTI – 152)
Everyday

5. Family Creed (or mission statement) – Develop a short, memorable phrase
that captures the top values that you want to define your family. Display this in a
prominent place in your home, or paint it on the walls. Ours’ is, “Grace finds
beauty in everything.” Thanks to Bono of U2 for the inspiration!

4. Restaurant Spying – Waiting for a table can be trying for kids and parents.
Here’s a lobby game you can play, “Who’s Next?” Try to guess the age, gender
and type of clothing of the next person to enter the door of the restaurant. (FT
107)

3. We Need Reminders – grab a Bible and ball of yarn and gather your family.
Read Deut. 6:6-9 and say, “It’s easy to forget good things. We need reminders.
Today we are going to remind each other of what we appreciate about each
other.” Stand in a circle and say, “Hold on to yarn. We are going to make a
Spider Web of appreciation. Say something nice about a person, then throw
them the ball of yarn. They do the same thing until we have a huge web.” (52 -
17)

2. A Peaceful Family – Help balance the stress in your family. Gather 2 small
slide lock plastic sandwich bags; a pants hanger with clips, masking tape, pen
and fifty pennies. Read to your kids John 14:27 about peace; and say, “In this
bag (marked ‘Worry’) are going to be some of the things we are worried about.
Grab a penny, share your worry and put it in the worry bag.” After each person
has done this; say, “See how lopsided it is? If this is our family, we are very
worried and stress. So let’s balance worry with God’s truth. Let’s put a penny in
the bag marked ‘Truth’ for each person.” Repeat process. (52 FTI -120)

1. Cheap Shopping Spree – To challenge the ever-growing sense of
entitlement that is common with our kids; take them to the dollar store. Give
each person one dollar and say, “Buy something, just for fun for someone else in
our family.” (Draw names for assignments.) “Find something that fits your
person. It can be silly or useful. Keep it a secret until we get home.” When you
return home, take turns sharing the gifts and why it fits the recipient. (52 FTI -
105)

©2006 Timothy Smith
Adapted from books by Timothy Smith:
Key: FT = Family Traditions (Cook Communications/Focus on the Family; 1998)
52 FTI = 52 Family Time Ideas (Bethany House; 2006)