New Family Christmas Traditions: Grandma’s Ready to Fly

I’m traveling for Christmas this year.

It makes sense. My oldest daughter and her husband have a new baby, and it’s much easier for me to hop on a plane than it is for them to pack up everything a baby needs.

I’m excited to spend Christmas with my daughter and her family. Little ones bring a sense of wonder to the holidays that warms you through and through. But I also feel a twinge of longing for the days when my own children were small, and I was the one decorating, cooking, and making the Christmas magic happen.

I always knew my days of hosting Christmas would come to an end. And truly, I want my children to establish their own traditions and make memories in their homes.

But knowing a change is coming and actually experiencing it are two different things!

Stepping Down as Christmas CEO can be a little jarring.

If you’re going through this, too, you may be asking yourself some of the same questions I am. How can I help without overstepping? What can I still contribute? And even though I’m happy to travel for Christmas, what exactly am I supposed to do when I get there?

Here’s what I’m discovering: my role isn’t over. It’s evolving.

Christmas in a Carry-On: Choosing What Matters Most

In some ways, it’s a lot like packing a carry-on suitcase. There’s only so much room, so you have to decide what’s worth bringing along and what can be left behind.

And that’s true of family Christmas traditions, too.

We can’t carry every tradition into the next generation. But we can choose the ones that matter most, leave behind the ones that no longer fit, and make room for something new.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to contribute without taking over. Think of yourself as the Christmas Assistant Manager rather than the CEO.

Whether you’re traveling across the country or just across town, Grandma still has an important part to play in making Christmas meaningful.

I’ve grouped some of my favorite ideas into three categories: remembering the past, strengthening family connections, and passing on what matters most.

Remembering the Past

Share Your Family Heritage

I’ve mentioned this before, but my mom went all out celebrating our Swedish heritage at Christmas. Dala horses, beautiful woven table runners, and Swedish meatballs every Christmas Eve.

She used Christmas decorating as an opportunity to teach her grandchildren about their heritage in a fun, hands-on way. For children, hanging St. Lucia and Star Boy ornaments on the tree helps those traditions become lasting memories.

She also shared stories about relatives still living in Sweden and those who immigrated to America in the 1800s.

Maybe your family heritage involves Swedish meatballs, Southern cornbread dressing, or a Christmas tradition that’s been passed down for generations. Whatever your family’s background, there’s a story worth sharing.

Those stories give grandchildren roots and a sense of belonging. What a wonderful Christmas gift—and one that doesn’t come in a box.

(See the post, Grandparents Are Super Heros for more reasons you are so important in your grandchildren’s lives.)

Keep Favorite Family Recipes Alive

So many family Christmas traditions revolve around food. Perhaps your family has a treasured recipe that everyone looks forward to year after year.

Why not offer to prepare one of those dishes? Let Mom and Dad put their feet up while you and the grandchildren carry on the tradition.

Menu selection is one area where what you leave behind can be just as important as what you keep.

Does anyone really want the mincemeat pie anymore? That green bean casserole? And perhaps rum balls aren’t the best choice when little ones are helping in the kitchen!

Instead, focus on the favorites everyone enjoys. Decorate sugar cookies, build gingerbread houses, or share your secret for making perfect mashed potatoes. Even young children can help by adding marshmallows to the candied yams.

This year, I’m going to pack my Lactaid pills and suggest my grandkids and I make this beauty:

Find the recipe here: Christmas Tree Cheese Platter – The Festive Fork

You’re not just passing down recipes. You’re creating memories of time spent together in the kitchen.

Tell Those Funny Family Christmas Stories

Every family has Christmas stories that deserve to be told again.

Whether you’re gathered around the dinner table or riding in the car, take the opportunity to share a few memories from Christmases past.

One of my favorites is the year my Aunt Bev, at the tender age of three, secretly opened every present under the Christmas tree!

And then there was the year my brother won an impossible-to-find Tickle Me Elmo doll in a radio station contest.

These are the stories that become part of a family’s identity, especially when they’re told with laughter and affection.

If you have room in your carry-on, bring along a few photographs of Christmases past. Better yet, load them onto your phone so you can share them wherever you happen to be.

Let the Christmas Ornaments Tell Their Stories.

Speaking of stories… one of the reasons that having a Christmas tree is so enjoyable to me is the stories behind all the ornaments.

The popsicle-stick ornament your grandson made in preschool. The brightly colored one from a family vacation. Definitely the treasured ornaments you’ve passed down from your own collection.

Each one holds a memory worth sharing. A story that gets packed away in January but isn’t forgotten when Christmas comes around again.

And here’s one advantage of being a Christmas guest instead of Christmas CEO: You have time to slow down, admire the ornaments, and share the stories behind them with your grandchildren.

After all, those stories are part of their family history, too.

Family Christmas Traditions: Connecting to Each Other

For me, the whole point of getting together at Christmas is to create shared experiences that help us feel connected as a family.

When you’re hosting Christmas, especially with a houseful of company, your main focus is logistics. Is there enough ice? Does everyone like ham? Are there enough chairs?

You’re busy creating the backdrop for everyone else to talk, laugh, and hold the new baby.

But as a Christmas guest, you have the freedom to sit and visit. Find out how everyone is really doing. Maybe get to know the in-laws a little better, since they’re part of your family now, too.

You also have time to connect with family members who can’t be there. Exchange pictures in front of the Christmas tree or send little videos of what you’re doing. And be sure to tell them they’re missed.

Of course, you can do more than lounge on the couch! Treat everyone to a movie at a real movie theater, or plan an evening drive to see the neighborhood Christmas lights.

One year, my Aunt Bev bought us all tickets to the Rockettes’ Christmas show. We dressed up and drove downtown for the performance. That was 15 years ago, and we’re still talking about it!

And one of my favorite family Christmas traditions is attending a Christmas Eve church service with any family members who want to join me. These days, it might be the 4:00 family service instead of midnight Mass, but the message remains the same.

Whether you’re sitting around the kitchen table, enjoying a Christmas outing, or worshiping together, it’s those shared moments that bring a family closer.

And the nice thing about being a Christmas Assistant Manager? You finally have time to enjoy them, too.

Passing On What Matters Most

Helping your grandchildren see beyond Santa and all the presents to why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

When our grandchildren are little, we spend a lot of time teaching them what Christmas is all about.

Bring out the colorful plastic manger and tell them about baby Jesus. Sit together and admire the lights on the Christmas tree while talking about Jesus as the Light of the World. Teach them to sing “Silent Night.”

And don’t forget Christmas books! There are so many wonderful picture books that tell the story of Jesus’ birth. Aren’t you glad you finally have time to sit and read to them?

10 Must-Have Gospel-Centered Christmas Picture Books for Your Family

As grandchildren grow into their school years and beyond, we have opportunities to teach them the how of Christmas, too. How do we put the love, generosity, and compassion we celebrate at Christmas into practice throughout the year?

Teaching Generosity

I love Toys for Tots!

Last year, my oldest grandson and I dropped off toys in the collection box at our community center. This year, he’s helping choose the gifts, too.

Even young children can experience the joy of giving, whether it’s selecting a toy for another child or dropping a dollar into a Salvation Army bell ringer’s kettle.

These are simple, practical ways to teach children to think about people who may not have as much as they do.

And they allow us to talk about why we celebrate giving at Christmas. God gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus, who showed us what it means to love and care for others.

As our grandchildren get bigger, we can help them see that generosity isn’t just about giving presents at Christmas. It’s about noticing the needs of others and finding ways to help throughout the year.

Looking Beyond the Manger

Christmas also offers opportunities for deeper conversations about faith.

The familiar story of Jesus’ birth is filled with people whose experiences can teach us something about following God.

Think about the shepherds. They were ordinary workers, not important or powerful people. Yet they were among the first to hear the news of Jesus’ birth. What does that tell us about the people God values?

Or imagine the angels filling the night sky with praise. What must it have been like to witness such an extraordinary announcement?

The wise men traveled a great distance to honor Jesus, bringing gifts fit for a king. Their journey gives us a chance to talk about seeking God and what we consider worthy of our time and attention.

And then there are Mary and Joseph. Their ordinary lives were turned upside down when they said yes to God’s plans. What can their example teach us about trust and obedience?

As our grandchildren get bigger, we can help them see that generosity isn’t just about giving presents at Christmas. It’s about noticing the needs of others and finding ways to help throughout the year.

Closing Up: It’s Not Christmas Without Grandma

Christmas isn’t at Grandma’s anymore. And I’ll admit that makes me a little melancholy.

But here’s what I’m discovering: You can give up the responsibility for Christmas without giving up your influence on Christmas.

You may be traveling to someone else’s home for Christmas, but you’re bringing something that can’t be packed in a suitcase.

You bring the stories of Christmases past, the joy of being together in the present, and the faith and values you hope to pass along to future generations.

When Christmas has to fit in a carry-on, you discover what matters most.

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