If you have newly adopted children, you probably want to establish holiday traditions that your family can enjoy for years to come. Holidays can be a busy time, but it is also a time when we want to create lasting memories for our children. Instead of trying to create a picture-perfect holiday, focus on creating traditions that allow you to bond with your child. Here are a few ways you can make your holidays extra special.

Enjoy the Prep Work

Any holiday activity requires preparation. Let your children be an active part of getting ready for the celebration. Don’t decide everything yourself; instead, think of ways your children can be actively involved.

Whether it is helping you in the kitchen or decorating your home for a festive dinner, they need to have a role. There is always something a child can do, such as help mix up the cookies or cakes, set out the decorations in the dining room, or make place cards for the family at the dining table.

First Christmas

The first Christmas after an adoption should be extra memorable. You can turn this holiday season into a great opportunity for bonding by making a snowman or a bear for each family member, including the newest addition to the family. After all, it is the time for cold weather and winter activities outdoors.

These snowmen or bears can be made from paper, wood, or a variety of materials. You can get as creative as you want. This can become a tradition where the child’s snowman or bear grows and changes every year, or where each year sees a different holiday-themed creature added to the collection.

Made with Love

Make homemade ornaments! Homemade ornaments are fun and can be used for years to come. Spend quality time together as a family on a DIY project where you make your own Christmas tree ornaments.

There are dozens of options for easy-to-make ornaments, so let your child help choose an ornament for you to make as a family. You can make candy canes from beads, create wreaths from pipe cleaners, or paint and decorate pine cones. Woodcrafts and more elaborate ornaments can also be created.

Make Memories on the Page

Scrapbooking is always a great way to celebrate. Make a scrapbook detailing your child’s first Christmas holiday with your family. This is a great way to hold on to some of the first important moments you have shared together. Detail all the other activities you have done this season, such as dinners, caroling, visiting Santa, and making ornaments. Be sure to have photo prints, glue, and paint ready.

Do Some Good

Volunteering is a great way to deepen your family’s relationship with one another. Volunteering will also help instill core values in your child that will benefit him or her for years to come. The holidays are a great time for charity work.

By choosing a couple of these options to make your family’s holiday traditions stay enjoyable for years to come, you can provide wonderful opportunities for bonding while creating lifelong memories.