Five Ways to Connect with Family at Christmastime

*Post originally published on 12/15/15.  Enjoy!

 The holidays can be a stressful time each year.  Traveling, consuming too much sugar, and generally not getting enough rest can make even the sanest person a little cranky.  Add on top the fact that we all want to connect with our families in meaningful ways.  Still it can be difficult to pull away from our already busy lives and make the time necessary to facilitate relationships.  Here are just a few ideas to help in pulling away from the busyness and connecting with family at Christmastime:

Limit the electronics--I'd like to say leave them at home entirely, but knowing the electronic world we live in, that's not always possible.  Sometimes I'll allow my kids to bring theirs if they'll be spending time with their cousins and I know they can connect and play a game together.  Other times, they are left in the car or at home if they're visiting Grandparents.  Know your location and who you'll be with and plan accordingly.  This goes for mom and dad as well.  The world will not end if messages are not checked every 5 minutes.

Mix up the age groups--Encourage your kids spend time with their grandparents.  Get on the floor and play with your nieces/nephews.  Share a joke with Uncle John.  Get everyone together and tell stories of Christmases past.  Look for opportunities to mix up the age groups and let them interact with each other.

Break out the board games--What better way to mix up the age groups than a board game.  Trivia games, apple to apples, and scattergories are great ones for getting everyone involved.  Playing games together really gets everyone to open up and relax.  And you'd be surprised what you might learn about each other when you're laughing.

Start a family tradition--The holidays are all about traditions.  Looking at Christmas lights, visiting a live nativity, having a baking day, or going to a Christmas play are all some of the traditions that thrive in our family.  Every year my kids look forward to these events and it gives us time to step away and really be together.  It's a memory that builds from year to year as the kids grow and reminds us how lucky we are to be together.

Give experience gifts--Give gifts of time and experience.  Take your grandmother out to tea.  Share a picnic at the park with your nephew.  Enjoy an afternoon at the movies with your aunt.  Spending time together is a much valued gift that can build on the relationship year round.

What are your favorite ways to connect with family at Christmastime?