Amy and I were talking the other day about our favorite Christmas memories from when we were kids. We wanted to make sure that we were providing the opportunity for our kids to have similar memories and that they will cherish the holidays as much as we do. As Amy and I talked, we realized that what we enjoyed most and remembered the most were the traditions and family time. Our family opened one present on Christmas Eve and I remembered always trying to pick out the perfect gift. I remember being at my Grandmother’s house and lying in my bed trying to get to sleep knowing that Santa would be coming soon. I remembered always making a paper chain with one link for each day until Christmas. What was not typically a cherished memory were the actual presents we received.

A few presents stood out in my mind, but if I had to make a list of a single present I received each year from age 5 – 17, I could not do it. The presents felt important at the time but the memory of them faded fairly quickly. That is one of the reasons I like opening one present a day early. I focus more on that gift and enjoy it more than when I have a batch of them stacked up next to discarded wrapping paper. The same is true for my kids. What they open Christmas Eve gets played with more and is typically enjoyed greater than others.

So take the time to create Christmas memories with your children this season. Make cookies or fudge, go see Christmas lights, if you are feeling especially brave, go caroling. Activities create more memories than items so do your best to help your family remember the time spent together.