NEW YEARS!

Family New Years Traditions, Rituals, and Activities

Family Photo Album
Create a family photo album using photographs taken throughout the past year. Work on the pages together or assign one page to each family member.  You can use stickers, markers and colored paper (all available at your local craft store) to decorate each page. To make remembering easy, be sure to put the year on the first page.


Family Journal
Make or purchase a simple journal that can be used to write down all the things each family member did over the past year and the things they want to accomplish in the new year. Be sure to include photographs or pictures.  You can create a new journal every year or just add to the one used for a previous years. Make sure you take time as a family to re-read the things you wrote in previous years. How many things did you forget? Did you accomplish what you wanted for the year? What things would you like to continue working on over the next year?


Make a Time Capsule
Gather items (i.e. Award ribbons, books read, report cards) from around the house that were significant to each family member over the past year. Then have each family member write or draw a letter about their lives over the past year. Be sure to include things each person did over the past year, things they accomplished, and things they would like to accomplish over the next year. Place the letters and other items collected into a decorated shoe box (be sure to include the year on the outside) and as a family agree on how long (i.e. 1, 5, 10 years) before the box is opened again. Then put the box away and don't open it until it is time.


Throw a New Year's Eve Party
Welcome in the New Year with a good old fashioned New Year's Eve party.  You can keep it simple by just including your family, or if you are more adventurous invite friends and your family over to help celebrate. Be sure to include all family members in on the planning and preparations. Check out FamilyFun.com for a host of great party games, favors, and recipes.