For many people, the festive season involves a variety of old tried-and-tested customs and traditions that have been popular for generations. Decorating the Xmas tree, exchanging gifts, going Christmas caroling, attending Midnight Mass, and viewing the Nativity play, are just a few of the activities that have become our staple Christmas rituals.
Some cultures celebrate Christmas in an extended way – from the start of December until post Boxing Day, and incorporate symbolic ceremonies that honour saints or spirits. These rituals often include baking different kinds of cookies and cakes, the lighting of candles, and eating traditional foods.
If you’re inclined to think “Bah humbug!” as Christmas Day looms closer, introducing a few modern rituals can help to enhance your enjoyment of the season of goodwill this year.
Children’s Christmas Rituals
Christmas is a magical time of the year, especially for children and anyone who is young at heart. You won’t have any problem encouraging your excited kids to follow these Xmas rituals…
Writing a letter to Santa, and including a list of Christmas present wishes, is a quaint old-fashioned tradition that kick starts the festive season for most young children. Modern day advancements in technology have speeded up the process of writing to Santa Claus. Instead of handwriting a letter and posting it in an envelope to the North Pole, children can now email their wish list and receive an instant reply from the Big Guy in the North.
During the month of December, many parents hand over the responsibility of checking that their youngsters are behaving well to the cheeky Elf on the shelf. When not getting up to mischief himself, Santa’s little helper watches over children day and night, and reports back to HQ.
On Christmas Eve night, children can check the real-time Santa Tracking app to find where in the world Santa currently is, on his journey to deliver presents to your home.
Christmas Rituals For The Whole Family
There are a number of modern Christmas rituals that will get everyone in the festive spirit…
To save money and be more environmentally conscious, use what you have available to make DIY Xmas decorations and Christmas presents with your family. Creatively customise wreath and garland décor for your home, and make ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree.
You can make homemade teacup candles, jars of soup and cake mixes, and foodie treats like caramel apple butter, as well as cookies presented in decorated upcycled containers to give as gifts. Soaps, sugar scrubs, bath milk powders, and pampering face masks are also easy and inexpensive to make.
If DIY crafts are just not your thing, you can always opt to visit the local Christkindlmarket to do your Christmas gift shopping. There are pop-up traditional German Christmas markets all over the UK, where you can buy high quality handcrafted items and food and sip on festive “Glühwein” (mulled wine).
Wrap up warm and enjoy outdoor exercise with the family. Many major cities in the UK have an outdoor skating rink set up to the Christmas season. There’s something wonderfully romantic and nostalgia about skating outdoors. As you circle the rink, you can imagine that you’re in a scene from one of your favourite evocative Hollywood movies. And after a few laps, sit and watch the other skaters as you sip hot chocolate.
Watching a marathon of your favourite sentimental and heart-warming Xmas themed movies has become a modern Christmas ritual, as the activity brings the whole family together.
Personal Christmas Rituals
It’s also important to take timeout from the whirlwind of Xmas prep to honour yourself with a self-care ritual that benefits the mind, body and spirit…
- Meditate in a quiet place to help you stay grounded and balanced.
- Take a relaxing bath and soothe your body with aromatherapy products.
- Have a psychic reading to clear your mind of worries, and to uplift your spirit.
Community Christmas Rituals
As Christmas is the season of goodwill, give back to your community by adopting a worthwhile and rewarding modern ritual of helping others…
Reflect on the power of giving, and lend a helping hand to an elderly neighbour who is alone this Christmas. Visit them for a chat and a cuppa, and make an extra dinner for them when you’re dishing up on Christmas Day.
Get together with a group of friends and organise a food drive in your area. Take the stockpile of food to your local food bank, so that it can be distributed to families in need this Christmas.
Help those who are less fortunate by volunteering your time at a local charity, or getting involved in a national Christmas project like the one run by Crisis UK. Your support or donation can give a homeless person a Christmas to remember this year.