5 Ways to Make The Holidays Meaningful
For Your Teens
How do you make the holidays meaningful for your teens? I am sure you know that the holidays are more than just presents, Santa and Holiday parties, it’s about family. I find that this is the perfect time with all the holiday chaos to go out of my way to create meaningful family time with my daughter so that it’s just not all about Christmas day and gifts, gifts, gifts.
Mind you, I try to do all these activities during the entire year but the Holidays adds some very special ways to create those memories that will last a lifetime and make Holidays Meaningful for my now teen daughter.
Explore Your Hometown
If you are not traveling during the holidays, why not plan a family outing to explore your city. New York City offers so much to do especially during the holidays from visiting the Tree at Rockefeller Center to enjoying all the Christmas windows to wandering the holiday markets looking for gifts. We plan a day during the holidays and head to one of the museums and just enjoy wandering another neighborhood. This year, we are headed up to the Metropolitan Museum to see the Michelangelo exhibit and lunch at a local diner. We can’t wait.
Go Outside
It may be cold outside but during the Holidays in New York but we like to walk the Highline Park or go ice skating at Rockefeller Center. You can, of course just head to your backyard or go to a local park to get outside and enjoy the cold winter air. Let’s face facts, if we don’t initiate it, kids will stay inside playing video games or watch YouTube all day. So definitely get them out for some physical activity.
Bake Treats Together
During the holidays, who doesn’t like sweets like cupcakes and cookies? My daughter and I take time during the Holidays and bake cookies for the doormen and maintenance guys in our building. Not only do we have fun decorating the cookies and it’s great way for us to slow down chat and bond while we bake. More importantly, it’s a way for us to thank the guys who help run our building. This year, we are making gingerbread cookies courtesy of Red Velvet NYC. All their baking kits include pre-measured ingredients so no need to worry about shopping for items or that you are missing that one ingredient.
Binge Watch Holiday Themed Movies
Enjoy watching Christmas themed movies or DVR shows favorite Christmas shows like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and of course, the iconic Charlie Brown Christmas. Try these tips to plan a family movie night.
Volunteer and Perform Community Service
This year, we went with friends to drop christmas decorations and a Christmas tree at a local women’s shelter so their home could be more festive. I think we all know that volunteering is great way to instill a sense of community, especially during the holidays. My daughter and her friends are at the age that they need to be aware that they are pretty fortunate and have so much. By giving to others, it reinforces the idea that giving is so much more meaningful than receiving (we hope anyway!)
How do you engage your children during the holiday season to make it more than just about gifts?
Disclosure: NYC Single Mom was not compensated for this post.
We bake together and always go to see the Christmas lights. It’s sort of a family tradition. Funny how they be a little resilient to the idea of hanging out with mom instead of their friends, they still oblige year after year and end up having fun and I am grateful.
Growing up I used to love baking cookies with my mom and grandma! Exploring your own town or just getting outside, bundling up and getting outside. The best part about baking cookies is binge-watching Christmas movies!
These are wonderful ideas, they are a good way to spend quality time together. Getting older really makes you appreciate every moment you can cherish with one another. Although Christmas is a tradition on its own, it wouldn’t hurt to make a ritual or add another tradition to Christmas day to bring the family together.
Love these tips! ! I have a teen and things are so different now that she is older. We try to spend a lot of time watching movies, baking and even playing games during the holidays.
My teen is a boy and he isn’t interested in much when it comes to the holidays. This is so helpful, I’m going to try these with him and hopefully bring back some of that holiday spirit!