I know you’re looking at that picture of Christmas stockings and wondering what in the world that has to do with a New Year’s tradition, right? Well, stay with me for a minute while I tell you how I experienced a great, unique New Year’s tradition that I think you’ll LOVE as much as I do!
When I was a teenager, my friend, Christine, invited me over for New Year’s Eve to hang out all night and sleep over when we got too tired to keep our eyes open. She had a few older siblings that were young adult age and her parents put on a big breakfast for them and all of their friends around midnight or just after. I can’t remember which but that was a fun tradition by itself. They had the griddles going and were making huge amounts of pancakes for all these young adults.
We had a great evening, but in the morning, we woke up to something I had never heard of before. In their house, they put the Christmas stockings out AGAIN on New Year’s Eve and over night, Baby New Year fills their stockings. What made it extra special to me was that even though I didn’t have a stocking there, they left a little package for me with some little travel size lotions and things. I don’t even know what Christine and her siblings got in their stockings but it made an impression on me – I felt so special to have something left for me and thought it was the coolest thing ever.
I thought it was the best idea and wondered why I had never heard of anyone else doing it! We’ve done it a couple years with our kids but I don’t always stick with it. However, this year I am determined to make it a yearly tradition because I’ve thought of one more element to add to it.
See, my 9 year old had a rough day at school the other day. The kids are all extra rambunctious with Christmas around the corner and the teacher (who my daughter loves) is frustrated and stern. So my daughter asked me to leave a nice note in her lunch so she would have something to brighten her day when she went to lunch. She knew that a note from home would give her a little pick-me-up.
Then I thought of how, as a parent, I spend a lot of my time correcting my kids. I do recognize and praise them as well. But even as an adult, it means so much to me when my parents tell me they’re proud of me. So, we’re going to do Baby New Year this year, stuffing the stockings (we won’t spend a fortune on it, just a little bit for each kid) but I’m going to write a letter to each child telling them the things I’m proud of them for doing/accomplishing/becoming during the last year.
As I started thinking of the letters, it made me so excited to add this tradition to our family. For me, the week between Christmas and New Years is always a great one. All the parties and deadlines of Christmas are over. Things are a little more laid back and relaxed. This would be a great time to write those special notes/letters for the kids.
So here’s the new tradition:
- Set out your Christmas stockings on New Year’s Eve
- Fill them with a few inexpensive items from Baby New Year
- Add a note to each stocking of the things they are proud of the child for in the past year
Do you have any great New Year’s or New Year’s Eve traditions? We’re always on the lookout for fun new ideas, so share your ideas in the comments!
This is a great idea!