Rediscovering Our Family Holiday Traditions with My Teens

Raising three teenagers, aged between 14 and 18, has meant years filled with crafting holiday magic. However, our home was never visited by the Elf on the Shelf (happily skipped), yet we embraced nearly every other tradition, from cheerful train excursions to Santa photo sessions at the mall.

During their childhood, our weekends from Thanksgiving to New Year's were jam-packed with festive fun. The thrill of Christmas morning was coupled with predawn awakenings and assembling toys till late. Witnessing the delight in their faces as they unwrapped LEGO sets or butterfly kits was invaluable, though honestly, it was very tiring.

The preteen years arrived with new challenges. I found myself pleading for someone — anyone — to join me on our annual light-seeing car rides. Traditions felt like coerced fun, which required either tempting incentives or gentle threats to gather participation.

The Teens' Renewed Enthusiasm

Over the past year, I've noticed a change of heart in my children. It began with my 18-year-old deciding to visit the pumpkin patch with her friends. I had settled for supermarket pumpkins for years, as the allure of the patch no longer interested them (and the mood at the patch wasn't worth the cost). So, when she told me about this outing, I was taken aback and quietly thrilled — what's better than wholesome teenage activities?

Later, without my prompting, my 14-year-old hung the Christmas stockings and adorned the tree. Meanwhile, my middle child enthusiastically set up the outdoor lights by themselves. When they asked if we would visit the drive-thru light display we’d skipped for years, the answer was a definite yes.

A New Kind of Holiday Joy

These once optional, sometimes cringe-worthy activities are now meaningful to them again. While there's a unique charm in those early years when Santa's magic is the focus, I am finding a new joy as my teens opt to spread holiday cheer around our home on their own initiative.

For years, I single-handedly shouldered the task of creating holiday wonder. Now, relinquishing that role has opened up space for something even greater. As they prepare to spread their wings and leave home, watching them breathe new life into our time-honored customs is fulfilling.