How to Start A Tree Planting Family Tradition

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Ever catch a clip of the Kennedy clan playing a weekend game of touch football and wonder why your family doesn't have traditions of your own? It's time to review your weekends, vacations and holidays as fresh opportunities for rescuing past traditions and creating new ones. Tradition can be history in the making--celebrating friends and family, past and future, securing our roots, and keeping them healthy and growing. These rituals we embrace often guide our social lives. So make it your mission to make the most of them.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Tree sapling
Open area to plant the tree
Family and Friends
Shovel
Camera
Photo album

Step1

Start simple and close to home. Are there traditions already in place that you can expand on? Don't be afraid to put a new spin on a staid old event. Weddings, for example, are full of ceremony and procedure-–making them personal gives them meaning.

Step2

The Tradition. Go to your local nursery and pick up a tree sapling that you would like to plant. Choose one that has a special meaning to you and your family. Then plant the tree in your yard, or at a community garden. Take a photo of the entire family standing next to the tree. Then make it a tradition to take a family photo with the tree every year on that date.

Step3

The Heirloom. Start a photo album with the family photo. Design it like you would a scrapbook and add notes and memories from that day on the page or around the photo. Then each year place the new photo in the book. You can watch as the tree and your family grow over time.

Step4

Need a cause? This tradition can be started at the beginning of a new year, the birth of a new family member, the death of a loved one, the start of a new chapter in your life, or any other reason for marking a new beginning.

Tips & Warnings

Tap into your creative capital. Some traditions might be wearing thin, and need a new approach. If you are tired of the hectic holidays, plan an annual family escape with the gift fund.
What's your game? If music's your thing, host a seasonal listening party of new music. If fitness is your thing, how about organizing your circle to host an annual charity power walk?

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Comments

favefive said

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on 11/20/2007 Wonderful. Traditions are great. I grew up with a big family and we fill our traditions with music. I only have one child...it makes it tougher to think of tradition not as fun as having a huge family, but we have lots of fun together. Music is still a part of it which was picked up from my side of the family :)