Making Your Own Personal and Meaningful Traditions
It may feel silly to ask yourself how you want to celebrate the season. Isn’t it obvious? Not always. Our seasonal traditions are often intimately tied to specific people and places, like our childhood friends and family from home, so it could feel strange imagining traditions in alternative ways.
However, exciting opportunities present themselves when you pause to identify what it is that’s positive for you and how you’d like to experience it.
Focus on the season within your own home and life as a young adult — with new friends/roommates, significant others, and so forth — and what you’d like to perpetuate onward yourself and eventually pass onto others in the years to come. After all, the more ways through which we celebrate our lives, the more we can positively affect those who are with us during these moments.
Here are 5 ways to start making your own personal and meaningful traditions.
1. plan a simple get together
Sure, the calendar is full of parties this time of year, but take the lead on planning a get-together that’s original and authentically “you.” This could be an afternoon of ice skating, donating time at a charity, attending a happy hour at a cozy spot, dining out, spending a night in with movies and hot chocolate, or hosting homemade soup making! Whatever your preference, make it memorable by gathering your nearest and dearest for a little together time with all the right feels.
2. send a thoughtful card
You don’t need to have a family, dog, and kids of your own in order to send a little snail mail during the holidays, and if you prefer e-cards, that’s an excellent option too! The purpose of sending cards out this time of year is to let those who are on our minds know we’re thinking of them — and to give a personal update, without the use of social media, on what you’ve been up to this year You can be short and sweet or elaborative, funny or serious; there’s actually no protocol.
Also, don’t get too caught up with the timing in which you send your cards — you can send a New Year’s card, and that’s totally appropriate up until the very last day of winter!
3. make a wish and write it down
Is there anything you've talked or thought a lot about, but have never done anything about it? Write it down! Take the time to brainstorm all of the things that you think would make your life different or more special and how you can achieve those goals.
Sometimes you just have to give yourself a little encouragement. Putting things to paper is an excellent start to the process in order to focus on your goals and elevate your game. Not to mention, it's a great time to do it, as you'll be more than ready for action in the New Year!
4. take a vacay, or a staycay
It’s easy to work a little too hard sometimes. So much to do, so little time! We often forget that spending time away from our computer (and even phone, gasp!), is a really, really good thing — especially during such a cozy season! Sure, you’ll miss emails and your voicemail might get full, leaving a lot to catch up on when you return. It happens, and it’s not that bad. The point is that taking time off makes you a healthier, happier, and all-around more grounded person — and if you’re not getting some time away, you may find yourself, a victim, to going through the motions. Plan a trip, or just take a few days off to do those things for yourself that you’ve been meaning to do — like spending time with friends and family, finally painting your bedroom, getting that facial, or finishing a book.
If you feel like you need permission to decompress, consider this paragraph your prescribed advice, go enjoy!
5. make a treat
There’s something so memorable about certain flavors and smells this time of year (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg...). Pick your favorite treat, or try something new like gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, paleo, and beyond — whatever tickles your fancy, whip it up and write the recipe down for keeps! Share with others, or not. We don’t judge.
Adapted from the article Start Making Your Own Traditions… Right Now! in our winter ‘16 issue.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
Coco Kelley
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