At Christmastime you have a magical window to weave threads of family heritage into the lives of your grandchildren. With the twinkling lights and festive gatherings, this season becomes an ideal backdrop to share stories, values, and traditions that help to define your family. By focusing on your family’s unique heritage, you not only preserve memories but also instill a sense of identity and belonging in the younger generations.
The key is to make these sharing moments interactive and fun.
Traditions aren’t as likely to stick if they’re only talked about; they need to be shown, practiced, and made relevant in practical, kid-friendly ways — especially with today’s kids who spend so much time looking at screens and often have short attention spans.
Here are some practical ways to engage them while passing down your heritage:
Family History
Telling stories from the past is always a great idea, especially when you turn them into adventures. So instead of thinking about monologues by the fireplace, consider creating a “heritage treasure hunt” where you hide old photos, letters, or heirlooms around the house. For each item found, share a bite-sized story: “This locket belonged to your great-grandmother who emigrated from Italy in 1920; it reminds us of resilience in our heritage.”
To engage tech-savvy kids, use a free app to build a digital family tree together. Sit with your grandchildren, input details from your memories, and let them add photos from their phones.
These kinds of hands-on approaches make your heritage more tangible and encourage questions, so your grandchildren are active participants. Aim for 10- or 15-minute sessions to keep energy high, and repeat a few times during your time together.
Faith
This is cornerstone of family heritage that can be shared meaningfully. If you observe spiritual customs, involve grandkids in recreating and possibly updating them. You can add to their Advent routine with short anecdotes about how faith guided your ancestors through tough times. Or light candles and have family members take turns sharing what gratitude means to them — perhaps linking it to how your grandparents prayed during difficult times.
Maybe you could enlist your grandkids to record some of your faith traditions on video, then work together to edit them into a family montage with a free online tool. (Or, your grandkids might already know how.) This not only documents your heritage but also allows kids to share it on social media, if everyone agrees to that.
Cooking
Food might seem like a frivolous way to connect with your grandkids, but it can create memories and transmit heritage in powerful and delicious ways. Baking cookies is a great start, and time in the kitchen together can be even better when your dishes include aspects of your heritage — like tamales, gingerbread, or meat pies — that you and your grandchildren prepare step-by-step.
Have grandkids take on various roles, and while they’re stirring or measuring, talk about memories you have of the strudel recipe, your great aunt from Austria who made it with you when you were growing up, and how it has since become like a symbol of hospitality for you.
Incorporate gadgets to keep your grandkids engaged — like a tablet for timers and a speaker for Christmas music. Have them document the process with photos and then save the photos and recipe online in a place they can share with others.
Culture and Traditions
Apply a similar approach to other unique family rituals — like hanging specific ornaments, an unusual gift exchange game, or singing carols … possibly in a native language. Find ways to adapt them to your grandkids’ age and understanding. Maybe even connect with other relatives by video chat so they can also enjoy the customs and traditions.
By actively sharing your heritage this Christmas, you’ll create lasting bonds and equip grandchildren with roots that help to ground them in an ever-changing world.
How do you pass down your family heritage to your grandchildren during the holidays? Share your tips and feedback on our Facebook page here.
