Celebrating Holidays and Special Occasions: An Introduction

Which holidays do you look forward to most? Which ones do your kids? Holidays and special occasions—when they work well—bring families closer together. Even holidays that aren’t perfect can be transformed into ones that mean a lot to family members.

Did You Know?

• Families that celebrate holidays and special occasions are more likely to raise kids who have a strong sense of identity, are healthy, have close ties to family members, and succeed in school.¹
• The more meaningful older teenagers and their parents felt their family rituals were, the more likely older teenagers were to have a strong sense of themselves and be able to handle the stresses of going to college freshman year.²
• One of the most dangerous threats to a family’s fabric is the cancellation of a holiday or celebration because of tension, trauma, or loss.³
• Experts worry that our busy lifestyles, geographic separation, and changing family structures (such as more blended and single-parent families) make it easy for families to stop celebrating special occasions and holidays.⁴

• Families that delegate the preparations for a family holiday are more likely to keep them going. In too many families, one female (typically between the ages of 40 and 59) does all the work.⁵

Building Developmental Assets in and with your children helps them feel supported during family celebrations and special occasions. Unfortunately, support is fragile for most young people. Less than half of all young people experience five out of the six support-category Developmental Assets.⁶ Meaningful holidays can help every family member feel a sense of importance, belonging, and support.