We know most family members look forward to them, so it’s easy to see why establishing and practising family traditions is actually good for you. Especially now, during a time of uncertainty when family traditions help life make sense to our children.
Parenting Expert, Laura Erskine offers families some seasonal advice:
“Just like routines, family traditions provide predictability and a sense of security and safety. However, family traditions go one step further, they help children to feel as though they belong and create happier families. This is because they are usually family specific, handed down from generations or by bringing families with different backgrounds together to create a blended twist on an old tradition. When we establish a family tradition, we do so with the intention to create a special moment, give our family values meaning, live a shared experience, but most of all to intentionally build memories.”
This year, Irish children’s clothing brand BabyBoo.ie has come-up with six new traditions for parents to consider starting with their little ones.
Tree Decoration: make or buy a new Christmas tree decoration for each child, using a piece of ribbon to attach a bow with the child’s name and the year it was added to the collection in felt tip pen.
Matching Pjs Photo: position your little ones in their matching pyjamas in front of the Christmas tree for a photograph and print it for posterity. Be sure to highlight the year with a festive sign in the photo itself.
Santa Letter Keepsakes: make a copy of your children’s Santa letters before they post them and pair it with any return reply letters from the North Pole, marking the year clearly for their memory box. Do this for infants and toddlers too, as they will love the fact that Santa has been writing to them since they were a baby.
Memory Box: create or add some more sparkle to your child’s Christmas Memory Box. Keep it safe with the family’s festive decorations and remember to unbox and relive the Christmas memories of years gone by every December. Then place all your child’s annual tree decorations, Santa letters, and photos back into their memory box in January, so that you can enjoy remembering the magic for many more years to come.
Make a Wish: make an annual Christmas wish with your little ones. Pass the star or angel to each child to wish upon before putting it on top of the tree. Or ask each child to take the wooden spoon and make a wish while stirring the baking mix for the Christmas cake or pudding.
Charity: give something back to a charity or cause close to your heart, explaining that in order to receive gifts at Christmas time, you should first give to someone less fortunate or a charity that helps families all year round.
BabyBoo’s reindeer themed unisex sibling range of loungewear also double as pyjamas for the festive season. Now available from their online store BabyBoo.ie as part of a Christmas Memory Box giftset, buying Irish couldn’t be easier with free delivery nationwide.
Commenting on their Christmas Memory Box launch, Vicki O’Callaghan co-founder of BabyBoo.ie said:
“Our Christmas Memory Boxes are packed full of memory making traditions from three small Irish businesses. Siblings can cuddle up in their matching BabyBoo reindeer loungewear while enjoying the ultimate hot chocolate bomb from fellow Cork based business, Incredible Flowers. Also included is a keepsake Christmas tree bauble from Dublin based, Lady Gray Graphics, with a cute reindeer-approved candy cane to be left out for Rudolph. Children even get a personalised letter from Santa Claus with some news from the North Pole, and a reminder to go to bed early.”
Perfect for lazy family days, the cosy transitional organic cotton loungewear range from BabyBoo will deliver some yuletide cheer whether at home, or out and about. The festive two-piece loungewear is available from age 2-years to 10-years and can be matched for infants in a zipped onesie from newborn size to 24-months.
This year’s BabyBoo Christmas charity bandana bib will benefit the Bumbleance sick children’s ambulance service, which provides safe and comfortable transportation between a sick child’s home and medical facilities. This year’s charity beneficiary has been chosen in special memory of Fionn Barry, a dear little boy and friend of BabyBoo who died this year. The award-winning organic cotton dribble-proof bandana bibs are a hit with parents of infants up to age three, as they progress from milk dribbles to teething drool. While the special needs range of bandana bibs offer generous sizing to older children.
Christmas Eve Box (loungewear, tree bauble, hot chocolate bomb) - €65
One-piece Festive Loungewear - €27.50 (20% off multi-buys)
Two-piece Festive Loungewear - €35 (20% off multi-buys)
Bumbleance Charity Bandana Bib - €5
With strong values around sustainability, ethical manufacturing and quality organic cotton products that will last the test of time, they truly are the gifts that keep on giving. Shop the BabyBoo Christmas collection at BabyBoo.ie
