How can you make New Year's a time for family bonding?

It's that time of year again. It starts off with a long blur of parties, fireworks and resolutions you'll forget in a few days time. so what is the perfect formula for making the new year the time for a fresh start and lots of fun? How can you turn New Year's Day into something more important? Below is how you can make New year's an opportunity for laughter, fun, a time of thanks, and most importantly a time to bond with family!

1. Jar of Blessings

Before diving into the new year one has to take a moment to reflect on the past year. This jar is a perfect way to think of all the good that happened. Doing it with family gives everyone a chance to find something good. We always look at what kind of blessings we want to happen in the next year but we never take a chance to see the ones that are already there. write down every blessing that happened down in the past year, cut it out and place them all inside the jar. You will definitely surprise yourself! This activity is part one of the perfect New year formula. It's start of the year on an optimistic note!

2. New Years resolutions

Resolutions. The classic new year tradition. A way to reflect upon yourself and a way that will make your new year a time to be a better person. Is this really the case? Maybe for a couplb of days but the truth is don't we all just forget our resolutions? The new year resolutions poster is here to help! Everyone sits down as a family and discusses their resolution while one persons copies them down. Normally our family writes out resolutions on an electronic device but it end up getting deleted and forgotten about. Once you are done with the poster hang it in a prominent spot in the house. We put ours on the kitchen wall so you could see your resolutions daily! New Years resolutions are a great time to reflect upon yourself but by making a poster you can truly stick to them. Making resolutions with your family lets you know every member of the family's goal thus you help support hem throughout the year. Quick tip: New Years resolutions, its quality over quantity. Remember to write down only your most important goals.

3. New Years Gifts

To add some excitement and fun to the new year add in gifts! The things that make these gifts super awesome is that there is a budget of 10 dollars and that the gifts are really personalized so they mean more. Another good thing about them is that everyone in the family gets gifts: grown-ups included! My siblings and I had a day out and got the presents for our parents. Inexpensive but meaningful! My tea obsessed mother received a tea set along with authentic Japanese green tea. I received Reese's mug cake (it's my favorite candy!) The point is that you get affordable gifts that are fun to open and they really add a more fun vibe to the new year. Opening the gifts together is a great way to add to the family bonding formula!

4. Family Bucket List

This fun idea is a great way to plan and get excited for the new year! Each month has one activity that must be completed as a family (hence the name). Activities include road trips, making a meal together, running a mile and more! It's an opportunity for the whole family to sit down and discuss things they would like to do. Everyone gets a say! But the same issue that occurs with the resolutions occurs with the bucket list. You make s list and write it down somewhere but of course eventually everyone forgets. A good idea is to make a poster that also hangs in a prominent spot so you remember. It's just one thing per month so nothing to difficult! A simple, fun way to bond!

With the 4-step formula written above, you can bond with your family, have meaningful moments and endless laughter. The new year is a time for fresh starts and a time to turn over new leaves. But with the 4-step formula, you can have a fresh start with your family. Simplicity is key when it comes to the new year.