Photo Credit: http://www.johnlund.com
Traditions during the holidays run far and wide. Each family creating, sometimes by accident, memories that bond them and provide the warm and fuzzies.
I like warm and fuzzy.
Like any family we have our traditions. Making my sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving and buying new jammies for the kids to wear to bed Christmas eve.
In the comments in my last post Fretless Holiday Fitness, my twitter pal Kris shared that her whole family has a tradition of taking a long walk together. I love that.
In the spirit of the season and building new traditions, here’s some traditions that add healthy fun to the holiday. Weather permitting, they’re things that the whole family can do together and pass down.
Do a Turkey Trot: The first Turkey Trot was in Buffalo, New York in 1896 and won by Henry A. Allison. That first race had only 6 runners, but today it boasts over 10,000 participants. It wasn’t until 1972 that the first woman ran in that race for the first time. Now they are held all over the country and there’s likely to be one in your area you can be a part of.
Play a game: Pick a physical game like Frisbee or tag football. One of my favorites is croquet and horseshoes. If going outdoors isn’t an option, you can play an interactive video game like boxing, bowling, or tennis. They really are fun. Although it’s no 5K, you’re off the couch and playing together.
Go ice skating: A piece of pumpkin pie is approximately 180 calories. If you weigh 140 lbs and you ice skate for 30 minutes, you’ll burn about 233 calories. When my family and I went ice skating the hours just flew by. You’re not even thinking about it being exercise because you’re having so much fun!
Build your first holiday snowman: Nothing says holiday season to me like a snowman. If you happen to be where there’s snow at Thanksgiving, it’s fun to build that first one. And after, it’s great to walk into a warm house filled with all the wonderful smells.
Go to a parade: I love parades. I love the celebration and watching all the kids and how excited they become when another float rolls by. Those are priceless moments we always remember. You’re outside and most likely you had to walk to where you’ll watch the parade. If possible, park farther away and take advantage of the walking time.
Hang your holiday lights: Hanging lights alone can be a bummer. In the beginning you pull out 50 strands of lights and have a grand plan. Halfway through, when two thirds of the lights don’t work and you climbed the ladder 15 times, you end up stringing them around the front door and calling it a day. That’s personally not acceptable in my book and it’s so much more fun with many hands and some hot chai tea with a bit of honey!
Volunteer: It’s one of the healthiest things you can do! One of the best Thanksgivings I can remember was volunteering at a community center on Maui. I carried that day with me for weeks after. It changed my attitude and warmed my heart. My husband and I received much more than any amount of food that was served that day and I walked away healthier than when I walked in. There’s something about thinking of other people’s needs before your own that heals you on the inside.
The holidays can be a great time to make new friends, renew relationships, and spend time with family. The time goes by so quickly. With a little thought, some self-control, and a healthy attitude, it doesn’t have to be a healthy-eating disaster but a chance to make new memories!
So now it’s your turn.
What healthy tradition does your family do or plan to do this year?
Share your thoughts!
If you’re looking for a community to help you be your very best, come join the awesome peeps over at the Sears Fit Club on Facebook. We have lots of fun and there’s always great advice, tips, videos and lots more coming!
