Raising a teenager while you’re married is not an easy task. It becomes even more difficult if you’re divorced or single. Teenagers have a tendency to reject any and all “old ways” of doing things. Consequently, you can re-involve your teenager in the Christmas spirit by creating new family traditions that they, and potentially their younger siblings, can also enjoy.
Activities which teens may find interesting include, but are not limited to:
- Dress up and run like Santa. Many communities have a Santa Claus run or walk. If so, then deck out your teens and their friends, deck out yourself, put on your running shoes, grab some friends, and start a new tradition of a Santa run or walk for fun. It’s hard for everyone not to be jolly when you’re all dressed up as Santa Claus with hundreds of other runners;
- Look at Christmas lights. Jump in the car and seek out the more extravagant Christmas light shows in or around your neighborhood or community. If you need to jazz up this activity, then make it into a family scavenger hunt. Before leaving the house, make a list of items that you need to spot on your drive such as: an inflatable Grinch, a grandmother run over by a reindeer, Santa and his reindeer, or a light show set to music;
- Volunteering. Many teens are required to obtain a number of community service hours in order to graduate from high school. Consequently, your teenager, you, and the rest of the family could volunteer to: sing Christmas carols at a local nursing home, work for a local toy drive, or help out at the local dinner for the disadvantaged or serving Christmas dinner for a local charity, which can bring your family close together. Remind your teen that Christmas is not all about material goods, and create a new family tradition;
- Christmas movie marathon. Everyone should pick one date during the Christmas vacation to stay up late. Each family member gets to pick their favorite Christmas movie. The family spends an evening watching them on the couch, eating popcorn, and chatting about the movies, Christmas, and themselves;
- Hot Chocolate Bar. Invite your teen’s friends over for a “Hot Chocolate Bar”. Provide a selection of different cocoa mixes, as well as fun toppings or add-ins such as: bowls of marshmallows, sprinkles, candy canes, whipped cream, and other sugary delights. Your teen and their friends will have a great time creating their own delicious chocolate Christmas elixirs;
- Learn something new about Christmas from a different culture. Many teens in school have to pass a foreign language requirement. You may get your teen and their friends to come together and have a party in which they either cook a food or make a cookie or dessert from the culture/language which they’re learning. You may be surprised with all the Christmas treats you may find in your house and the aroma of various Christmas treats from Germany, Spain, Mexico, and France wafting through your house. As much as your teen may enjoy making them, they and their friends will certainly enjoy eating them;
- Create a faith-based tradition. Don’t let the true meaning of Christmas or the holidays get lost in the present-buying scramble. Create a tradition that will help you, your teenagers and other family members honor your faith together. Read the Christmas story from the Bible, spend time talking about your beliefs, or use the holidays as a time to perform acts of service to remind you why you celebrate this holiday; and
- Create a family meal together. Assign a specific course for everybody in the family and work together to make a delicious holiday meal. You can even invite some friends or families over to help you create and savor your dinner together.
By trying some of the above traditions, you may help create Christmas and holiday memories and traditions for your teen and for your family and which your teen will continue as they go out into the world and create their own family.
Board Certified Marital and Family Law Attorney Charles D. Jamieson understands that divorce is an extremely sensitive and important issue. Thanks to extensive experience and a focus on open communication, Attorney Jamieson adeptly addresses the complex issues surrounding divorce while delivering excellent personal service. If you are involved in or contemplating a divorce, then immediately contact The Law Firm of Charles D. Jamieson, P.A. or call 561-478-0312 to schedule a consultation.
