Simple, Uplifting Traditions To Incorporate With Friends And Family This Holiday Season

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Simple, Uplifting Traditions To Incorporate With Friends And Family This Holiday Season

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Simple, Uplifting Traditions To Incorporate With Friends And Family This Holiday Season

13 min read OCT 13, 2025

Key Takeaways

The celebrations we partake in throughout the holiday season are powerful - shaping memories, strengthening bonds with friends and family members, even providing a sense of security. Starting new, or carrying on old, traditions can preserve cultural and familial identity and keep us connected to those we love for generations.

Key Takeaways

Make unity and connection a primary goal throughout your holiday celebrations.
Keep things simple, keep things positive, and don’t stress yourself out.
Incorporate a mixture of old and new traditions throughout these special seasons.
Consider bringing your family together through movie nights, holiday themed games, baking latkes, hosting a pre-baking coffee bar with friends, and more.
Traditions for Diwali, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year/New Year’s Eve).

Think with me for a moment, bringing to the forefront of your mind your most treasured memories of holiday celebrations with friends and/or family.

As you recall these moments, those as recent as last year or as distant as your early childhood, it’s likely your thoughts have centered around traditions, those events which have become routine or common throughout the holiday celebrations you enjoy with those you love.

In the midst of these activities, especially in childhood or amidst the stresses this season often brings, we can easily take for granted what is truly taking place.

Think about it…

Gathering with friends, in matching attire, for Friendsgiving may take a lot of preparation, even causing a bit of lost sleep through your efforts
Taste-testing mom’s Christmas cookies each year may seem like nothing more than a yummy treat to savor when you’re six years old
Lighting the Menorah might seem like something your parents take too seriously as a child
Watching your husband annually prepare a tent in your living room so your family can ‘camp out’ to ring in the New Year may conjure up a few frustrations

…but, what’s actually occurring in each of these situations (and so many more that are likely now stirring in your mind) is something of great value.

Holiday traditions aren’t simply those things we look back upon later in life with laughter, love, joy, and nostalgia.

No, these activities are what strengthen the bonds you have with those you’re blessed to enjoy these seasons with. They build security, foster connection on a deeper level, and ultimately become a part of who you are.

And, that’s why we’d like to provide you with a few simple, mood-boosting holiday traditions today, activities you can incorporate with your friends and/or family this year or in the seasons to come.

So, pour yourself a cup of your favorite Lifeboost brew (I’m sipping a warm mug of our Champagne Bliss tea today), and let’s journey through a bit of creativity and nostalgia as we explore holiday traditions!

The Importance Of Holiday Traditions

There’s no dispute here, traditions serve to solidify the warmest of memories.

Since by the very nature of the word, traditions are repeated, these activities or events stand out amidst everyday occurrences, even causing us to anticipate the holiday season with joy.

Sure, we all have challenging seasons we’ve walked through in life, which can include holiday times as well. But, when we look back, traditions stand out as reminders of love and laughter shared, of coming together in spite of our differences, of connecting with friends and family.

Traditions bring stability and grounding.

UNC Health clinical psychologist Dr. Schiller states, “traditions specifically bring up positive emotions associated with memories from our childhood, past times that were meaningful, or loved ones who are no longer with us.”

Traditions also provide purpose.

Here, I could once again provide a quote from a more qualified individual, but instead, as a mom, I wanted to personally share my experience, namely that carrying on traditions from my childhood as well as beginning new ones with my family has served to not only bring me a sense of purpose but relieve some of the stress and anxiety these seasons can carry with them.

As traditions bring familiarity and stability, they foster a sense of belonging, even shaping and solidifying your identity over time.
Participating in holiday traditions often carry cultural or spiritual significance.
Whether you’re celebrating with friends or family (or both), traditions are something you share, and these shared experiences foster a sense of community, strengthening bonds and shaping positive memories.
Starting or engaging in holiday traditions now can serve as a source of comfort later in life as you recall these memories, bringing to mind (essentially helping you re-live) times of joy, laughter, love, and celebration.

Overall, the goal of traditions is to allow for true connection and unity.

So, as you incorporate these events or activities throughout your times of celebration, keep in mind that it’s okay to enjoy both old and new traditions.

This quote is said to have been from an 1890’s Joseph Parry song or poem, but you likely remember it as the Girl Scouts theme/slogan - “make new friends but keep the old; one is silver, the other is gold.”

While this quote is speaking of friendship, I believe it can apply to traditions as well, where both the old and new are equally valuable.

Carrying on an old tradition you fondly recall from your childhood passes down this piece of history for generations, keeping those connections close to your heart.

And, when you start new traditions, you are not only strengthening the bonds you share with your friends and family, but this also communicates value to the present, to the family or friend group you know and love here and now.

It’s also important to remember that it’s okay if some traditions either fade or take a different shape over the years.

Personally, I’m living this right now.

As my kids are now entering adulthood, the joy and excitement they once shared in abundant anticipation for the holiday season has faded a bit.
And, if I’m honest, this saddens me at times, which is why I occasionally need these gentle reminders:

The goal of each and every tradition we enjoy (or have enjoyed) is connection.
Traditions may change slightly over time, and that’s okay.
What we ultimately remember about the traditions we’ve shared with friends and family centers around “feelings, not facts.”

In other words, you’re more likely to remember the laughter, smiles, and positive feelings you experienced when competing in your family’s annual gingerbread house competition over building/creating the actual gingerbread houses…a principle that’s worthy of remembrance as you infuse new and old traditions into your holiday celebrations.

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some simple, uplifting activities…traditions…that you can incorporate into your holiday season.

Simple, Uplifting Traditions To Incorporate With Friends And Family This Holiday Season

Below we’ll be covering the most common or popular holiday celebrations, providing you with easy ideas to infuse into your family and/or friend gatherings this season.

While these ideas will primarily be specific to each holiday listed, feel free to incorporate any number of the following ideas into your holiday celebrations in any way you prefer.

You might notice a greater number of suggestions for those holidays which are more widely celebrated; however, if we weren’t able to detail a specific holiday you cherish this time of year, feel free to share with us a tradition you enjoy!

Diwali (late October)

Diwali is a Hindu holiday, also known as a festival of lights, marking the beginning of a new year.

This festival typically takes place in late October, and the 5-day celebration is commonly filled with feasts, the sharing of cards and gifts, and fireworks.

Decorating for Diwali is a common tradition, but you can infuse new aspects by involving your family members, possibly preparing a meal to enjoy as you host a day or an evening set aside to make rangoli.
During traditional lamp lighting for Diwali, plan to make new memories by inviting a friend to partake in this event, telling the history of these celebrations, while also partaking in traditional Indian foods.

Thanksgiving (October or November, depending on the country/region)

Thanksgiving is a holiday noted by a time of thanksgiving or gratefulness. This time/day is generally celebrated by gathering with family and/or friends for a meal.

Friendsgiving has become increasingly popular over the last several years, where in addition to a time with family for this holiday, friend groups gather in somewhat of a similar fashion, enjoying a meal. A few ideas for Friendsgiving traditions include incorporating a new “fashion” or dress theme each year, such as - 80’s, pj’s, fancy, and more.
At your Thanksgiving gathering this year, plan to prepare leaf-shaped pieces of colored paper where each guest can write something they are thankful for. Then, assemble the leaves to form a ‘thankful tree.’ You could hang the leaves from real sticks or even use tape/tack to create a beautiful art-piece on your dining room wall.
Watching (or playing) football is a common pass-time for American families on Thanksgiving. You could infuse some fun and simple traditions surrounding this activity by having guests/family members choose a team prior to the onset of the/a game. Then, each year, the losing team must tackle the task of Thanksgiving clean up.
Plan to volunteer (as a family or friend group) at a shelter or kitchen to bring joy to others on Thanksgiving.
Get the whole family (or friend group) moving this Thanksgiving by doing a Turkey Trot race/run. And, if you’re not prepared, you don’t have to run, you can also simply get your steps in by walking those miles prior to pie.
I have a friend whose sisters, mom, and other friends plan their holiday shopping endeavors each year on Thanksgiving. I know some see this as promoting consumerism, but if you could only see this group…their commendable comradery and their reindeer antlers say it all!!

If you’re looking to do it up right, their tradition entails sitting down after the Thanksgiving festivities have been completed, then mapping out their Black Friday adventure. They wear matching sweatshirts, sweaters, or t-shirts, each dawning a pair of reindeer antlers on their head, and they make a post-Thanksgiving Day of it: morning coffee, lunch, dinner, and lots, and lots of laughter!

Hanukkah (mid December)

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated for 8 days, also commonly known as the festival of lights.

Holding a dreidel spinning tournament could be one way to involve more friends and family members in this traditional Hanukkah custom.
Teach children how to make traditional Hanukkah staples like latkes, eventually commemorating the time when they are then able to make this dish on their own.

Christmas (late December)

Christmas is a widely celebrated holiday, both for its religious and cultural significance, with some families infusing a mixture of the two into their traditions and others focusing solely on one aspect. Either way, this holiday is ripe with opportunities for starting traditions.

Many families and/or friend groups traditionally come together to bake cookies, make candies, and other treats this time of year. You could add to this tradition by hosting a potluck style coffee-bar to enjoy prior to your baking endeavors.

Here, one person could bring the coffee, another would provide syrups or sauces, another brings creams/milks, others bring fanciful toppings, etc. Then, spread out the items and allow all participants to assemble their own brews prior to baking. You could even browse our holiday recipe selection articles on our blog beforehand for some truly tasty ideas!

This is a tradition our family has enjoyed for years, so I’m happy to share it with you: each year when we put up our Christmas tree, no matter when that is, it’s a family ordeal. And, instead of it being a chore, it’s a party!

We make appetizers, party foods, and treats, then we all take part in putting up the tree and decorating while watching Christmas movies.

By the time the tree is trimmed, we’re usually all relaxing with a second plate of treats in front of our favorite holiday movie by the end of the night. This tradition that started over 15 years ago is one my grown kids still look forward to.

Gather for a holiday pj (or whatever attire you choose) photo each Christmas, then collect these memorable pictures in an album to enjoy each year, seeing how time has changed and blessed your family.
Start a Christmas tradition for any young children in your family by reading a Christmas/holiday themed book each night leading up to Christmas.
Another favorite from our family - each year on Christmas Eve, we have always gone out to look at Christmas lights. This has now changed with schedules, so we generally just pick an evening sometime throughout the season for this adventure, but it’s still a memorable time.

And, you can add to this by starting a tradition of preparing cups of hot cocoa or warm cider to either enjoy on your ‘trip’ or when you return. This would also be another fun movie night idea - maybe a stroll or drive through your neighborhood to look at lights, then come back for Christmas movies and cocoa?

I know many folks who buy a new ornament for their Christmas tree each year, but you could easily make this a family tradition, where you each make an ornament instead of purchasing another, thus providing an opportunity for a fun activity and authentic decor. (You could do this with any DIY holiday decor.)
Plan to gather your family/friends and spread warmth throughout the holiday season by singing carols at a senior living facility or passing out handmade cards at a nursing home.
If you have littles that love Santa, NORAD has a great tracker to display for the kiddos on Christmas Eve. You could make a simple tradition of preparing Santa some milk (or coffee, because he’s got a long night ahead of him), cookies, and checking NORAD.

This sounds mundane, but we all know that some of the simplest holiday happenings are what we still fondly recall, many years later.

Kwanzaa (late December - the beginning of January)

Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African culture, culminating in a feast, often described as a harvest feast.

A meal is typically shared as a central part of Kwanzaa celebrations, and one way to share the beauty, history, and significance of this holiday is to invite friends and neighbors. So, plan to start a tradition of inviting a co-worker, neighbor, or friend to your Kwanzaa celebrations or dinner.
To celebrate the spirit of Kwanzaa, plan to start a tradition where you gather with friends and family members to learn, practice, and/or perform traditional African music, drumming, and dances.

New Year, New Year’s Eve (December 31st - January 1st)

Marking the end of an old year and the start of a new one, many commemorate this time with shared memories, parties, noisemakers, and staying up until the official new year begins at midnight.

Growing up, this wasn’t something my family made much ado over, so simply prepping some family or friend favorite party foods, staying up playing board games and other group activities until midnight, watching the ball drop, and ringing in the new year is something I now cherish with those I love.

In other words, if you aren’t making these memories yet, feel free to start.

And if you are, plan to incorporate a new food, a new game, or something extra/new each year. My kids now look forward to something different each year. (What’s different this year, they say, searching out and anticipating even the slightest “new thing” for the “new year.”)

In some cultures, it is customary to open your windows at midnight, letting out the old year and bringing in the new year. If you’ve not yet done this, it’s a simple tradition to add to any festivities.
You could also gather with friends and family on New Year’s Eve, over a meal, to recall the good things that happened throughout the year, even happily listing those things you anticipate in the coming year.

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.

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