We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. –Psalms 78:4
One of the best ways to keep our children home in heart and body—not just for the holidays but every day—is through family traditions. Traditions do not have to be spectacular or expensive but simply unique to you and your family. Parents can create strong, sentimental home attachments with just a little extra effort during the holiday season.
Thanksgiving Day at the Smith household is filled with action and activity. After a manly devotion for the boys, they head out to the woods for King Phillip’s War—also known as paint ball. Like the Pilgrims, they explore the New England countryside via 4 wheelers that usually end up in a mud bog. The girls join in the afternoon fun of shooting shotguns, pistols, and rifles along with the cannonade of Tannerite. All over the Bone Gap landscape is the sound of 21st century musketry.
When the sun starts to set, the grills fire up and the kids get cleaned up for an evening Thanksgiving feast. During the meal there is the reading of several traditional children’s books and historical documents, the recounting of God’s faithfulness throughout the year, and a short devotional thought celebrating the year. Bingo with candy corn markers and numerous table side games round out a lively dinner experience. A family movie night with a dessert intermission finishes a full and glorious evening. As wonderful as the day is, the lead up to the holiday is what makes it what it is … a family tradition.
The earlier parents start establishing traditions in their home, the better; however, it is never too late to start. Some parents build a tent over the dining table the night before Thanksgiving and read books underneath by lantern light about the Pilgrims first days in New England. Others make the Mayflower from a refrigerator box and sail it over the bedroom seas to land on a distant shore, sharing memories of the hardships the Pilgrims went through on this hazardous journey just over 400 years ago. Some have their annual Turkey Bowl football game.
Although a few older children might initially baulk at these sincere parental efforts, they quickly become attached to traditions as it gives them identity and a solid familial context in a world that is being tossed to and fro in the culture war. It is no accident that the highest festival in Jewish history, Passover, is a family-centered celebration, filled with activities and a special meal that remember their own ancestors’ treck to freedom just like our Thanksgiving Day.
Ask fellow homeschoolers what traditions they have. Surf the internet for ideas. Start small. Use scripture. Share history. Read short books. Include children’s artwork like place mats or centerpieces. Have Dad dress up like a Pilgrim and share from Plymouth Plantation or President Lincoln’s Proclamation of Thanksgiving. Don’t let this day slide through your fingers like sand by letting your children stare idly at a screen most of the day, separated from father and mother.
Whatever you do, make your holiday season a time of joy and a testament to the glory of Jesus Christ. When you do, you will find that home isn’t somewhere children have to go for the holidays; it will be a place where they will want to go.
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