The 5-Minute Guide to Creating Family Traditions That Last
Cheers to family traditions.
One day, your kids will be older, sitting around the table, laughing at how you always burned the cheese bread at dinner or how every camping trip started with the crazy chaos of trying to fit everything into the car — and how one kid forgot their shoes, entirely.
Chances are, you probably won’t even remember those things!
The traditions that stick aren’t the huge, elaborate ones. They’re the simple, everyday routines that almost feel too small to matter.
The same chaotic school mornings on repeat.
You always let them taste your coffee even though they hate it.
The rule is that whoever spots the first spring flower in the backyard gets to pick the pizza for dinner.
These are the moments that make childhood feel like home.
And chances are, you’ve been creating them without even trying. But if you want to start new ones, here are some simple traditions your kids will hold onto forever!
Simple Daily Traditions
You probably don’t even realize it, but the little things you do every day are building your kids’ childhood.
How you always tell them “I love you, make good decisions” before they leave the house.
When you cut their PB&J into triangles, not squares because that’s just how it’s always been, and let’s face it, it’s more fun.
The silly voices you use while reading stories, or how you sing made-up songs when it’s time to clean up.
These small, sweet, everyday rituals aren’t amazing or Instagram-worthy, but to your kids, they’re home.
What feels routine to you is creating a sense of security and belonging for them.
One day, they’ll be adults making a salami sandwich and instinctively cutting it into triangles—because that’s just how Mom did it.
You’re already doing a freaking rad job and you don’t have to add more (but if you want to, there is a list at the bottom of this post).
My 23-year-old son still laughs when I sing a silly “wake up” song. And, all my kids love when I play a birthday song by the Jellydots on their day to wake them up.
Both my mom and dad would play music to wake me up — and I’ve carried on that tradition. It sets the tone and mood for the day.
Yes, we are in 2025, and my family still eats dinner together. We laugh and tell stories even if it’s just a frozen pizza dinner.
Weekly Traditions
Think about what happens in your home like clockwork:
Friday night pizza and popcorn with a movie
Saturday morning banana and Nutella crepes
Going to the park every Thursday after a minimum day at school
These weekly traditions don’t seem exciting, but they matter!
They are anchor points in your kids’ week, little reminders that no matter how chaotic life gets, some things will stay the same.
Here’s another silly tradition we have, as a family. This isn’t weekly, but I had to share anyway.
In Southern California, we’re all familiar with Edison shutting off the power for whatever reason. That means no video games — a rarity in this household. When the house goes silent, we pull out all the games. Uno, Monopoly, a chess board, Dark Tower (an old game), Old Maid, and Life.
We make it fun. We usually know about the power outage ahead of time, so I buy fun snacks and make popcorn.
One time, the power went out and my kids asked why we weren’t playing games. I was reading, so I didn’t think about it ahead of time. I quickly put my book down and we all pulled out the games. No matter how old they get, they still love simple traditions.
We made something that would normally be frustrating and turned it into a fun tradition we actually look forward to!
Monthly Traditions
Then there are the monthly traditions:
Family game night where everyone gets way too competitive
First-Saturday-of-the-month picnic on the living room floor
A library visit to check out new books.
These aren’t “special occasion” events, but that’s what makes them powerful!
Kids (and adults) thrive on repetition and routine. And, knowing that every Saturday morning means French toast with way too much powdered sugar or that the first snowfall means hot cocoa on the couch. That’s the good stuff! That’s what sticks!
Annual Traditions
It’s funny how the things kids roll their eyes at in the moment become their favorite memories later.
The same Christmas stockings every year
The annual backyard trampoline sleepover (where someone always gets scared and wants to sleep inside)
The road trip to Grandpa’s where you have to stop at the same gas station for snacks
Even small, simple annual rituals—like measuring your kids’ height on the garage door or watching the same holiday movie every year—create a deep sense of nostalgia.
It’s not about what you do, it’s about the fact that it happens every year without fail.
Your kids might not remember every single vacation or birthday party, but they will remember that the last day of school always meant an ice cream trip or that you always played the same song on Halloween.
A tradition I’ve done, since I was a child, is to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. I grew up opening gifts on Christmas Eve, so we still celebrate on Christmas Eve with my mom. She and I alternate which house we go to every year. My kids love it too. There have been years when the date was moved, like when we took a Christmas cruise or had a Christmas baby. But, we’ve stuck to the tradition for over 24 years.
We also follow a tradition my husband grew up with during Easter. On Good Friday, there aren’t any electronics (TV, phone, or video games) allowed from 10-2. We can read quietly, put a puzzle together, or watch the grass grow. It’s a time to reflect. We’ve adapted it to our family, but it’s a nice tradition.
10 Simple Traditions to Add to Your Family
If you’re feeling like you need more traditions — here are 10 easy ideas:
“Super Secret Handshake” – Create a handshake that only your family knows and uses before big moments (first day of school, sports games, going to a sleepover, birthday party).
“Pajama Pancake Breakfast” – One Saturday a month, everyone stays in pajamas for a slow morning of pancakes, coffee, and cartoons.
The “Ugly Birthday Candle” – Keep one candle and reuse it for every birthday, no matter how melted it gets! This is a good one.
The “Rainy Day Movie & Popcorn” Rule – Every time it rains, you pause life for an afternoon movie and homemade popcorn. Hot cocoa adds some extra fun to the tradition.
“Family Walk & Talk” Sundays – Take a family walk every Sunday to talk about the highs and lows of the week.
The “Annual Picture in the Same Spot” Tradition – Pick a wall or doorway in your house and take a family photo there once a year. I grew up doing this on the fireplace at my grandma’s house. Every holiday, the whole family took a photo. It was fun to look back on how people change and the family grows.
The “First Day of Summer” Trip – Celebrate the official start of summer by heading to your favorite frozen yogurt or ice cream shop!
“First Snow Cup of Cocoa” – No matter how much snow falls, the first snowfall of the season = hot chocolate. It could be a flurry or a foot.
“Lunchbox Notes” – Randomly sneak a funny joke or sweet note into your kids’ lunch when they least expect it. My mom always did this, and I’ve carried on the tradition.
The “New Ornament Every Year” Tradition – Buy your kids a new ornament for the tree each Christmas, and watch your collection grow over the years. I chose an ornament that is based on that year. If one kid started playing an instrument or baked a cake, I got an ornament that resembled that. My mom did this for me, and I’ve carried on the tradition.
If I had to start a new family tradition, I would have such a hard time narrowing down just one. Life ebbs and flows. My kids are getting older so things change and we’re adapting.
We used to go camping every summer, and we rarely do that anymore. I think I’d need to plan an annual camping trip during the summer again. Even if it’s just to Big Bear which is a little over an hour away.
The best family traditions aren’t forced or fancy.
They’re the small, repeated moments that make home feel like home. And the best part is —You’re already doing them.
So keep telling the same corny dad jokes.
Keep making grilled cheese the “best” way— with tomato soup.
Keep singing that ridiculous cleanup song.
The little things might feel ordinary now, but to your kids, they’re the memories they’ll have and pass down forever!
Thanks for hanging out and reading along.
Cheers to starting something new,
Annette
I hope you loved reading “The 5-Minute Guide to Creating Family Traditions That Last”! What new traditions will you incorporate into your family? If you’re still looking for a Creative Hesperia Portrait Photographer, click here to see my portfolio of Whimsical images.
