Creating Your Own Texas Family Traditions
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For Texans, family traditions are a lot like family heirlooms. If you have them, it’s likely they’ll stick around for generations. Don’t think you have any? Fret not! We’re here to give you some ideas for creating your very own, brand new family traditions! Whether it’s something as simple as visiting a Texas farmers’ market in spring or heading off to a pumpkin patch farm in fall, we have something in this article for everyone.
Traditions provide families with a sense of recognition and belonging. They evoke positive emotions and memories that span across generations. In this way, they are a method of transporting the essence of a family’s history from one era to the next.
While some families may already have a few unique traditions, there’s always room to add a couple more! Our list of Texas family traditions focuses on activities that all family members will enjoy – be it grandchildren and young cousins, or grandparents and your old Aunt Jean! So this year, pick a few to try out at home, and you’ll be making new memories in no time.
Are Family Routines the Same as Family Traditions?
Family traditions are not quite like family routines, in that they are more unique and don’t take place as regularly. Robust family traditions such as a simple family dinner are still important. But family traditions are, in general, more occasional experiences that bring together more than just one generation of the family.
Benefits of Family Traditions
Deepens connections with family history
Connects the older and newer generations
Provides a strong sense of cultural (or religious) identity for children
Keeps new generations aware of their heritage and its core values
How to Start a Texas Family Tradition
Most families pick holidays as a time to celebrate a family tradition or two. Whether it be Christmas, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, or any other festival, gathering together and practicing customs, religious or not, is a wonderful way to start off a family tradition.
For many Texans, traditions may also revolve around the changing seasons. Fruit picking during harvest season is a popular example of such.
To start a family tradition, think about what your family enjoys doing and go from there!
How to Keep Texas Family Traditions Going
Family traditions are bound to be a hit if they are simple, predictable, and affordable. Not all families can move around schedules for an impromptu weekend away, and neither can many people shell out big bucks for expensive travel. Therefore, when creating family traditions, keep simplicity in mind. Think about games that everybody can play, special recipes that your family loves to cook, visiting a local scenic spot, or seeing a performance. Straightforward traditions are more likely to be continued. Likewise, your traditions don’t need to be overly expensive. There are so many options for families to bond without splashing the cash.
Common Family Traditions
Here are some great activities that you can adapt into your own family traditions:
Grill steaks on summer weekends.
Serve together at a local food pantry each month.
Enjoy a day at one of the best Texas breweries.
Have a bonfire to celebrate a special event.
Go berry picking on Texan farms or visit a Texas pumpkin patch.
Organize a day trip to enjoy the colors of fall in Texas.
Visit a Texas bluebonnet field every year.
Have special food days where the family meets up for brunch or dinner.
Gather together and cook a large batch of a family-favorite recipe, such as a pickle or a preserve.
Visit the beaches of Texas for a delightful summer weekend.
Organize a family book club and meet up for readings.
Take part in an annual marathon or any other fitness event as a family.
Plan a family game night and play board games together.
Get together for a weekend and visit a lavender festival.
Go on a family fishing trip.
Visit a grape stomping festival with the whole fam!
Plan a Texas farm stay with the family during the summer months.
Organize a virtual games night to bring together family members living far away.
Holiday Family Traditions
Holidays are an excellent time to take part in family activities. Here are some holiday activities that you can use to add an exciting new twist to your family traditions.
Have everybody dress up in matching PJs and take some goofy photos.
Work on a mega jigsaw puzzle in teams and time the challenge.
Stay at a Texas dude ranch for Thanksgiving.
Support Texas food businesses by cooking an elaborate festive meal with local farm-fresh produce.
Organize a family-special egg hunt for Easter.
Have a family taco night for Cinco De Mayo.
Gather for a family Iftar and charity drive during Ramadan.
Walk around your neighborhood to enjoy the light displays in your community during the holidays.
It doesn’t take a lot to establish meaningful traditions – the important thing is to keep things consistent. No matter whether these traditions occur weekly, monthly, or annually, your children are sure to remember them decades from now, when they are making similar traditions with their own families! The ideas mentioned above can help you establish your own customs that are close to the Texan community and even closer to home.
What are Some Special Family Traditions You Enjoyed as a Kid? Do You Still Celebrate Them Today? Drop Us a Comment and Let Us Know!
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