Creating a Family Tradition That Matters

Nov 6

4 min read

Written by: Abigail Ellis

Publish date: 11/6/2026

The holiday season can quickly become a season of more. More shopping. More food. More events. More decorations. More things to remember. And, of course, more questions about what everyone wants. There is nothing wrong with enjoying those things. Holiday traditions can bring families a lot of joy. But somewhere between the wish lists and busy schedules, families have an opportunity to ask a different question: What can we give?

Giving back during the holidays does not have to mean writing a large check or committing an entire weekend to volunteering. For many families, neither of those options is realistic. Giving can be sharing time, helping a neighbor, donating something useful, preparing a meal, supporting a community organization, or simply noticing that someone around you could use a little extra kindness. What matters is helping everyone in the family see that they have something valuable to contribute.

Make Giving Something the Family Does Together

Sometimes adults decide how the family will give back and everyone else gets informed afterward.

“Saturday morning, we're volunteering. Be ready at eight.”

That might get everyone there, but it does not necessarily create connection.

Try involving the whole family in deciding what to do. Ask, “If our family could help one person, group, or cause this holiday season, what would you want us to do?”

You may be surprised by the answers.

A child might want to collect food because they learned about hunger at school. A teenager might care about animals, homelessness, or helping younger kids. A grandparent might suggest checking on older neighbors who live alone. A caregiver may know about a local family going through a difficult season. That conversation is part of the giving. It allows family members to learn what other people care about and decide together how they want to respond.

Giving Does Not Have to Cost a Lot

This is especially important during a season when many families are already stretching their budgets. You do not have to put your own family under financial pressure to help someone else.

Your family could:

Write holiday cards for residents of a senior living community.
Donate gently used coats, books, toys, or household items you no longer need.
Help an older neighbor with decorations, yardwork, or errands.
Volunteer together at a community event.
Collect needed items for a local shelter or food pantry.
Bake or prepare something for someone who may be spending the holidays alone.
Let each family member choose one item to donate while cleaning out closets or toy bins.
Offer your family's time or skills instead of spending money.

A young child can decorate a card. A teenager can organize donated items. A parent can provide transportation. A grandparent can help prepare food. Everyone can have a role.

That is part of what we emphasize in Together We Can. Families do not have to contribute in exactly the same way to contribute together.

Be Careful How You Talk About the People You Help

Giving back also gives families an opportunity to practice empathy.

Instead of describing people as “the less fortunate” or telling children, “You should be grateful because some people have nothing,” try talking about community needs with dignity. A family might say, “Sometimes families go through periods when they need extra support. Our family has needed help in different ways too. This is one way we can support someone else.” That changes the message. Giving back is not about one group of people being the helpers and another group being helpless. Communities work because people support one another at different times and in different ways. Today you may be able to give. Another season, your family may be the one receiving support. Both are part of community.

Start a “Give One” Holiday Tradition

Here is a simple challenge for your family this holiday season.

Choose one thing to give together.

One hour. One bag. One meal. One act of kindness. One family project.

Put everyone's ideas into a bowl and choose one, or vote on the idea your family wants to try.

And if your family is thinking, “We want to help, but we don't know where to start,” stay connected with us. Together We Can may have upcoming opportunities for families to give back, volunteer, or support our community during the holiday season. Volunteer Link. We want to make it easier for families to find ways to participate that feel meaningful and manageable. After your family gives back, do not end the experience with, “Okay, we did our good deed.”

Talk about it.

Ask: What did you notice? What surprised you? How did it feel doing this together? Is there something like this we would want to do again?

Those conversations can turn a one-time holiday activity into something much more meaningful.

Years from now, family members may not remember every gift that was under the tree or everything that was served at dinner. They may remember the year you delivered meals together. The neighbor everyone helped. The donation drive the kids chose. The afternoon your family spent doing something for someone else. Giving back during the holidays is not about creating another obligation for an already busy family. It is an opportunity to slow down long enough to remember that families can make a difference together.

So alongside the question, “What do we want this year?”, add one more:

“What can our family give?”

We Want to Hear From Your Family

Your family's idea might inspire another family to get involved too.

Share in the comments: How does your family give back during the holidays, or what is one way you would like to give back this year?

Maybe your family already has a tradition. Maybe you have been wanting to start one. Or maybe you know about a great way families can help right here in the community. Share it in the comments. Together, we can build a collection of ideas that helps more families find their own way to give this holiday season.