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The holidays can be a difficult period for anyone who’s recently gone through a divorce, especially if you have children and learn the ropes of co-parenting. The season can serve as a painful reminder of the shifted family dynamics, but it is also an opportunity to reinvent your holiday rituals.
Our team at Law Office of Mark M. Childress has come up with new tradition ideas to get the whole family into the holiday spirit.
Decorate Your Home Together
There’s no better way to welcome the Christmas cheer than putting up lights and decorations. Make it an event with your kids. You could let them pick out a new ornament every year or get crafty. Perhaps your ex was the type to wait until December to do all of this in the past, but now you have free rein to do it earlier!
Bake Cookies for Santa
If you have young children, turn to the classic holiday tradition of baking cookies for Santa along with a letter. You can switch it up each year and try out new recipes. Even if you don’t have your kids on Christmas, you can still carry out the tradition together via video call.
Have a Christmas Movie Marathon
One of the greatest things about the holiday season is the Christmas-themed movies. You can write down 10 of you and your kid’s favorite ones, put them in a jar, and pull out a paper to decide what you’ll be watching leading up to the actual date. Throw in matching pajamas to make it even more spirited!
Invite Friends and Family Over
If you don’t have kids or they’re with their other parent, you don’t have to spend your time alone. Invite your closest friends and family for a celebration. You can host a gingerbread house contest, potluck, cookie swap, or a combination of the three.
Volunteer Your Time
Volunteering at a hospital, soup kitchen, or a local community organization is one way of integrating a greater sense of purpose by serving and blessing others in need. Making this your holiday tradition can teach your children humble lessons while you come together to offer aid.
Putting past traditions to rest can be emotional, but the suggestions above may help spark ideas of redefining the holidays as a single parent.
Law Office of Mark M. Childress is here to help make your family matters less stressful. Call (817) 497-8148 to schedule a consultation today.