UNIQUE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

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BY ROBBIE IMES 

Looking forward to the familiar is always a special feeling for the holidays. The weather and the decor are seasonal hallmarks that we universally enjoy, as is the perfect meal at a table surrounded by those you love most. Tradition is sacred and meaningful in so many ways.

Sometimes, though, the mold should be broken. It’s not to say that we should discount the cherished traditions we honor, but rather change them up a bit in order to give them new life.

If you are looking for ways to surprise and delight your guests and family this year, here are some suggestions to shake up the holiday norm.

1 Get takeout

No cooking means no mess. Order pizza or Chinese and sit around the fire singing Christmas carols. This option leaves more quality time with the family and lets someone else do the hard work. The only thing to do at the end of the night is take out the trash.

2 Matching PJs or onesies for the family

This tradition can be easy and fun for everyone, and the sillier you get, the more laughs you’ll have. Spice it up with bold, unseasonal colors or patterns. And for onesies, you can find them just about anywhere these days, including Amazon and Target. Themes like Star Wars or reindeers can be particularly great, but the ideas are limitless. Don’t forget to take photos to capture it all.

3 Fun or unusual tree toppers

Tree toppers make the Christmas experience complete. But instead of the typical angel or star, why not shake things up with something surprising? Adding a dinosaur tree topper can be an amusing conversation piece. Or maybe even a leftover Halloween decoration, like Dracula or Frankenstein. Found objects, such a baseball cap or hi-top sneakers, could also offer a sense of whimsy and unexpected joy, creating memories you can share all year long.

4 Celebrate another culture's Christmas

In Japan, they eat KFC for Christmas dinner. In Ukraine? The tree is garnished with spider webs. And in Oaxaca, Mexico, the holidays are all about the radish. Whatever your heritage is, try to divert from your usual holiday traditions by adding something new from around the world.  Bonus: this one can also double as an educational exercise. Try something new every year; the holidays will never be the same again.

5 Holiday theme dress-up

Theater used to be a tried and true tradition of the holiday season. Now you can revive the excitement at home, and you don’t have to be an actor. Choose your favorite theme, for example, Harry Potter. Next, have your family create costumes and act out the stories. It’s different, it’s interactive and it’s not the ho-hum present opening that we all know too well.  Bonus: depending on what you choose, it can also be educational.

6 Emoji creation contest

No matter what phone you have, there’s always an option for avatars. Some of the most popular have become memojis, found on the iPhone. There’s even the possibility to create multiple memojis, so a fun game is to create that second memoji and make it as wild as you can. Enlist your family and friends, share amongst yourselves and even vote for the best. Let the phone fun begin.

7 Holiday gift hunt

If you are familiar with Easter egg hunts, then this one will be easy. Get a gift, wrap it up and then hide it. The family fun begins when trying to find the presents. The whole gang can participate and turn it into an entire afternoon of fun. Here’s to lasting memories with the bonus of gifts.

Other bonus ideas:

• Seafood spread for dinner instead of stuffing and turkey

• Have an ugly sweater contest

• Holiday lunch picnic indoors or outdoors

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The information included within this article is AT&T sponsored content written by Currently Media editorial contributor Robbie Imes. The statements in this article are his own and don’t reflect the positions, strategies, or opinions of AT&T.

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