Practicing hospitality begins inside the walls of your own home. It starts when we wrap our people in love and care for them in simple, meaningful ways. Knowing how your family feels loved and cared for, and practicing those simple things on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, is one of the best ways to show hospitality to the people who matter most to you. This week, find traditions that work for your family and start doing them regularly! Pizza parties on Fridays, big Sunday dinners, family movie nights, or waking up to balloons on your birthday are a few ideas for low-key family memories. Here’s what the ladies of our Simplicity Series said their favorite family traditions are:
“We try to do game night every now and then. Esp. when we have family in from out of town. It’s a time where everyone can come together and commune with one another – no age limits. All fun.” – Lacoya Heggie, wife, mama, and founder of Hello Love Events
“Family movie night every Friday night. We eat dinner in the living room and watch a movie with the kids and I’m pretty sure its their most favorite thing we do.” – Shay Cochrane, wife, mama to two sweet girls, and photographer extraordinaire
“Sunday night family dinners together, a new book on the first day of school each year, Blessings tree at Thanksgiving and Adopted Angel at Christmas, saying “Let ‘er Rip” before going down a slide at the park.” – Beth Gebhard, wife, mama to 2, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications
“In general, Friday night or Sunday night dinner with the family.” – Kerry Gardner, wife, dog mama, and publicist extraordinaire
“Oh man – my family LOVES traditions so we have quite a few. Two of my favorites are the Christmas morning brunch with extended family and summer days at the lake. Both are low-key and spent enjoying each other’s company.”– Maggie Rheney, Samford grad, avid book reader, and associate publicist at Choice Media and Communications
“Having dinner as a family. When I am home and not traveling, this is the best way for us to connect. I know this season of having babies and toddlers will go fast, and just being intentional with that meal time is so important to me.”– Rachel Cruze, wife, mama, author, and finance guru
“Every Christmas, before we pack up the decorations, we each write a letter. We include all of the major things that happened that year and dreams, hopes and prayers we have for the next year. We don’t read them, and we pack the letters away with the ornaments. The next Christmas when we get the bins out of the attic to decorate, we kick off the Christmas season by reading our letters out loud to each other. It’s always amazing (and funny!) to see how much can happen in a year and just how faithful God is year after year.” – Christy Wright, wife, boy mama, speaker, and author of Business Boutique
“Friday Nights we regularly do homemade pizzas, popcorn and movies. Often on a random week night we’ll pull out a big quilt, throw it on the floor, grab a bunch of different food from the fridge and have an impromptu family picnic. The boys LOVE this! We also ask them these questions at dinner: What was your favorite part of the day? What was your least favorite part of the day? Who did you sit with at lunch today? What are you thankful for? Spontaneous dance parties fill our home with joy. Family game nights (Clue and Chicken Foot are our go-tos) make for hours of fun. And in the summer we bring out the Fuzzy Ball Jars. The boys each have one Mason jar with their name on it. When Matt or I catch them doing good (using manners, being kind, helping someone, etc.) then can put a fuzzy ball in their jar. When their jar is full they get to pick their own date night (with Mommy, Daddy or the whole family). It’s amazing what kind of good behavior ensues because of this tradition.” – Heather Adams, wife, mama, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications
