Think about your happiest holiday memories. Most probably revolve around traditions.

This  is a year to reinvent some of those traditions-or maybe even start new ones.

Let’s call this traditions with a twist. 

We all know the most precious gifts aren’t the ones under the tree in the pretty papers. 

What traditions have you normally done together? Maybe you have always gotten together and made cookies with the grandkids - and this year you can’t. How about sending a package to them with the ingredients - and a container already addressed and stamped to send some cookies back to you? I guarantee they will be talking about you while they bake - and what a memory!!!! (Ask them to FaceTime you for a bit while they are cooking —- or take a photo to send)

——or the opposite —- you make the cookies and send them along with some photos of times you spent baking with them 0r sharing memories of that - and letting them know how much you are missing them!

If you usually craft with your grandkids or nieces and nephews - send them a craft kit and plan a craft date over Zoom! Maybe its making paper chains or something for decorating for Christmas!

Or send each family a gingerbread house kit and have a contest over Zoom!

Have prizes for the fanciest, the one that never made it …. The most unusual ….. fun things so everyone gets a prize!!!

If you are going to meet with your family over Zoom - make it a party. Send party hats and decorations, plan a game - make a party *** and get the kids involved in planning it  - when they are involved it makes their holiday even more special.

One year when our kids were young, Tim’s sister Mary sent everyone a matching t-shirt - including the adults. Wouldn’t this be a fun year to do that (or matching pajamas) and then take a Zoom photo shoot of all of the families? Or maybe a virtual ugly sweater photo shoot?

Send “love & care” packages!!! Send them early to set the stage for someone else’s Christmas. And especially those who will be alone. Make handmade ornaments or cookies and add something that connects to memories of them - photos, letter, a spice jar for someone you cook with, a craft item for someone you create with, a skein of yarn for that knitter

Plan a Drive By Party!

If you have kids, get them involved in decorating the front yard. Go beyond lights - think signs, anything they can come up with.

If you don’t have kids living with you, plan some things in the front yard for them to “look for” —- make it fun.

—-Invite your family and friends to drive by for some hot chocolate (or coffee) and cookies to go!!!!

And whatever you do - however you spend Christmas - be sure to take some pictures! 

Another of our podcasts last year was about the one scrapbook every family should have - one scrapbook with a two page spread of each Christmas. The value of this is that it comes out once a year with the Christmas decorations so it actually gets looked at. You see the changes each year as the kids get older (of course the adults all stay the same) - and you are reminded of the years a certain person was missing - or there was an extra guest - and the funny stories.

The link to that podcast: https://stampingonthebackporch.libsyn.com/stamping-on-the-back-porch-2   

This is a point in time that we have never seen the likes of before - and some day we will look back at this as a memory and hopefully we can say - we still made Christmas special.