It’s that time of year again—the Holidays! And if you’re like me, your family doesn’t look quite the same as it did a few years ago. Both of our children are now married, and in 2024 they welcomed their first babies. Becoming a grandparent has been one of life’s great joys—but along with that joy comes change.
As our children grow up and build families of their own, holiday traditions shift. Some fade. Some evolve. And some—if we stay open—become even better than before.
So how do we navigate these changes with grace, warmth, and joy?
A New Season…New Traditions
The first step is remembering that your adult children now have their own families and their own decisions to make. They are blending two sets of traditions, juggling schedules, and finding what works best for them. This will mean holidays look different.
The second step: stay flexible. You don’t want to be the source of stress during a season that should be joyful. While it’s natural to miss the “old way” of doing things, giving your kids room to create their own memories is one of the most loving gifts you can offer.
And the best part? You get to create new traditions too.
Below are ideas for family traditions, grandparent traditions, and even friend traditions that help keep the holidays joyful—no matter what day you celebrate.
New Family Traditions
Remember: your gathering doesn’t have to fall on the exact holiday. “Christmas at Gramma’s” can be the weekend before, the week after, or whenever everyone can be relaxed and present. Make the day easy and fun:
- Give everyone new matching pajamas and have them wear them when you get together. It doesn’t have to be in the morning; it can be anytime during the day!
- Make your own advent calendar and put specific goodies in each bag based on your grandchild’s age. You can make a fun advent calendar for your adult children as well.
- Take a family photo and start a holiday photo album tradition. Look back at the pictures every year.
- Spread magic with the Elf on the Shelf.
- Take a walk in the neighborhood or drive to see all the lights.Make homemade ice cream with all the toppings.
- Cuisinart has a great machine https://amzn.to/4frxuBM and William Sonoma has great flavors.
- Honor a deceased family member with a handmade ornament for the tree.
- Show gratitude with a can/bottle of daily thank you notes to your kids reflecting how proud you are of them and this new life they are creating with their family.
- Create a coupon book they can use throughout the year for babysitting services, coffees and dinners out etc.
New Friend Traditions
As our lives evolve, friendships become an even more important part of our support system—especially when you live part-time in different states like we do.
A few traditions we’ve started with friends:
- Find a local cooking class and learn to cook a new meal together.
- In Illinois, the Morton Arboretum has an “Illumination Walk”. It is beautiful lights with hot chocolate and hot spiced cider to drink along the way. We spend an hour doing that and then grab dinner.
- In Florida, the Naples Botanical Garden has a “Glow Walk”. We are trying this and grabbing dinner at Rebecca’s new winebar afterward.
Final Thoughts
Holidays evolve as our families grow. Instead of holding tightly to the past, we can choose to create new memories that fit the life we have now. Traditions aren’t about dates or timing—they’re about connection, love, and being together in whatever way works.
And I’d love to hear from you:
What new traditions have you created as your family has changed?
Share them in the comments—I’d love to feature a few in an upcoming post!
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