Starting Healthy Holiday Family Traditions
From Thanksgiving into the New Year, there are many holiday traditions that are not necessarily healthy. While enjoying a big holiday meal and the many treats throughout the season is expected, sprinkling in some healthier holiday traditions is wise for your family. Here are some healthy activities you can do as a family that can become your own holiday traditions.
Family Holiday Marathons
With all the extra food and sweets that often are served at Thanksgiving and other holidays, it is important to ensure you plan some exercise for the whole family. Schedule planned nature walks for quality family time while burning off some of the pie and gravy from the holiday meals.
Want to make walking even more fun? Consider signing up kids and the whole family for a virtual marathon, such as the 2022 Gobble Til’ You Wobble – there are metals and bibs that are sent to your home to award kids when they achieve their marathon goal. There are many marathons throughout the holiday season that you can join every year.
Family Sport Time
Many families incorporate playing their favorite sport with the holidays. It could be a touch football game before or after dinner on Thanksgiving or a soccer game Christmas morning. Hitting the hockey rink for Hannukah or a family basketball game for Kwanza. Find a way to make family fitness fun by making it part of your holiday tradition.
Declutter and Give to Charity
The holiday season is the perfect time to have every family member fill a box with items they no longer need that can be donated to those who are less fortunate. It is common for gifts to be given during the holidays – make room for new items by donating some of the old. This is a great tradition to start that will help declutter your home, teach kids the value of giving and help others in your community.
Enjoy the Holiday Lights
There are always great light shows during the holiday season in Cincinnati. Whether you want to decorate your property as a family or take a walk through one of the lighted neighborhoods, holiday lights can be a wonderful and active way to enjoy the best of the holidays. Many of the local light shows are a great idea to cozy up in the car and enjoy a big spectacular for the holiday season. Alternatively, bundle everyone up and walk or drive to the closest neighborhood with great light decorations for a free and healthy visual treat.
Small Business Saturday
Make holiday shopping a cardio workout by shopping at your local stores. Instead of ordering online or heading to a mall, make it a tradition to go to your local shopping district Thanksgiving weekend for Small Business Saturday. You and the family can get some exercise while supporting your local business owners and their employees.
Family Traditions at the Y
The holiday season is a busy time, but you still need to spend time with family and keep fit. Make it part of your holiday tradition to come visit us at the YMCA in the Greater Cincinnati area as a family. Schedule a day every week for a family Y visit and keep healthy through the holidays. The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati offers a variety of fitness programs suitable for all ages. We would love to be part of your holidays – we hope to see you soon!