We both grew up in families that had many family traditions. As a couple, we are excited to blend our traditions and continue them with our own children! (Though, we are sure we’ll also start new traditions!) Some of our favorite family traditions that we want to continue are below.
Christmas Eve - Letters to Santa and Grab-Bag Gifts
Like many kids, we wrote a letter to Santa every Christmas eve. We would leave the letter with milk and cookies and went to bed. In Kirsten’s family, after the letters were left with milk and cookies, her dad would read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. And by the next morning, Santa always wrote back! This continued long after she “figured out” the whole Santa thing, because it was a fun little tradition that they continued to do! (Now she has a book of all of her letters to Santa!) In Bill’s family, Christmas Eve was a time to gather with all the cousins. Christmas Eve always includes the great gift giving grab-bag. This also includes the “trash bag gift”- something a family member handmade and wrapped in the biggest bag they could find for someone who had a special event during the year.
Easter Hunts
Each Easter, we plan to hide Easter baskets after the kids go to bed so that when they wake up in the morning they will find their first clue. They will then begin a scavenger hunt, following one clue to the next, until they find the baskets!
4th of July
We both LOVE the 4th of July. (This is one reason why we got married over 4th of July weekend!) As a child, Kirsten and her brother would decorate our bikes with red, white, and blue streamers and ride in the neighborhood parade. Both of us grew up in small towns and loved going to the town fireworks each year. We want to hold a big cookout so lots of family and friends can come by. And, we’ll play croquet and light sparklers!
1st Day of School
Each year, the night before school started, Kirsten’s dad would sing her a song, “School Days.” This continued through college! Even though Kirsten can’t carry a tune very well, she still plans on singing this song to her kids! Meanwhile, Bill’s mom would take a picture the each year for the annual “First Day of School Picture.” It’s fun to see all the pictures over the years. And, Kirsten’s mom also packed her lunch every day of elementary school. But, the best part was she wrote a note on the napkin every day!
Family Vacations
Both of our families take a summer vacation to the beach each year. These vacations include extended family and sometimes good family friends! We also hope to vacation in certain spots that bring good family memories – North Carolina beaches, Cape Cod, or the Jersey Shore (not the one as seen on TV though!)
