Bridge generational divides
8. Host a family reunion.
9. Visit relatives regularly.
10. Go on a family road-trip, excursion, or vacation every year.
11. Honour older relatives while celebrating Christmas, Hannukah, or Ramadan by incorporating some of their cherished celebrations into your own.
12. Choose a day each year to go through family photo albums or watch old home videos together.
13. Recruit friends and extended family to regularly volunteer at a soup-kitchen or shelter.
Boost spirit and morale
14. Conduct a New Year's resolution review ceremony.
15. Impart the importance of charity and community involvement by raising money for a cause that is close to your family's heart every year.
16. Schedule a fixed dinner-time every night.
17. Honour momentous events such as graduations, getting a driver's licence, or getting married by planting a tree.
18. Cook Saturday morning pancakes with Dad.
19. Create a secret handshake or password.
20. Take turns sharing the highlights of your day around the dinner-table.
Whatever new tradition or ritual you choose, remember it should always feel natural and meaningful. No matter how well-meaning it may seem, imposing empty or ill-fitting rituals or traditions can be damaging. Decide as a family what works best for you, and remember to relax and have fun. "Choose traditions that satisfy you," writes Lieberman, "not traditions you feel obligated to perform." The best ritual and tradition is often just spending time together.
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