Family Rituals

When I was growing up my family dined out every Friday night. We went to a local burger joint or pizza place - nowhere fancy or expensive, but the dinner was meaningful all the same. It was a celebration of the end of the work/school week and a time for the five of us to come together to enjoy something out of the ordinary. Friday night dinner was my favorite family ritual as a child and one I've continued with my own family now that I'm a mother. Family rituals serve to strengthen families and foster a sense of belonging. Children realize that they're part of something unique.

Not surprisingly, researchers have found that there is a link between family routines and rituals and the health and happiness of the family. Each family may celebrate its rituals in a distinct way. They can be handed down through the generations or started anew. Some rituals are light-hearted while others are more serious in nature. They can be celebrated in the same fashion each time, or they can be adapted to suit an evolving family. Family rituals can transform a commonplace event into a special occasion. If you'd like to introduce new rituals in your family life but aren't sure where to start, here are ten ideas:

Holidays - Many families have holiday rituals. Baking holiday cookies together, making a new ornament for the Christmas tree, having a picnic for Memorial Day or searching for the perfect plump pumpkin at Halloween can be special annual rituals. My family always received our Easter baskets after we returned from church. It was a way of stressing the religious over the commercial aspects of the holiday.

Game night - Designate one night a week as family game night. Laughing together over card and board games beats another evening of television.