We always laugh at my house that I plan the trips and my husband makes them fun. I will have to say that there is some truth to that. Honestly, sometimes I find myself so tired from the planning that I don’t take the time to actually enjoy the memory.
So how do we get the most out of our memories and yearly traditions?
First, build up the excitement prior to the event. For our Christmas traditions, this usually involves Joshua the Shepherd letting the kids know what to expect for the night. For this example, the card for Joshua was discussing about Jesus being the “Light of the World” so it was an easy connection to Christmas lights. Other times we prefer to surprise the kids with an event so we may give them riddles throughout the day. For instance, last summer we went to visit an underground cavern. The riddle we gave them was that we wouldn’t be on the ground that day. Of course they thought we were flying or riding a roller coaster so it made for a neat experience.
Second, be in the moment. We try to make the most of every event so we make sure and take our time. For this tradition we always go and eat at our favorite restaurant, Burrito Shack. When we got to the Festival of Lights we made sure to crank the Christmas music up and enjoy and discuss all the lights. What is your favorite light? Maybe sing a rendition of the “12 Days of Christmas.” Turn the phones and distractions off and really focus on the moment at hand.
Lastly, be looking for “God Winks.” In our family we refer to “God winks” as little things that God does to show His love in practical ways. Two years ago we had a huge God wink when we went to visit lights. In 2020, as we were driving to the lights, my husband and I were talking and celebrating how God had fulfilled some of our dreams that day. We told the kids about it and encouraged them to never stop dreaming, even if it takes time. My son, Carter, who was 5 at the time said, “Yeah, like my dream of seeing a unicorn!” We all laughed and said, “yeah….dream big.” Who would have thought that as we pulled into the Festival of Lights that there would have been a unicorn on display! I have never, in all my years of visiting Christmas lights, seen a unicorn on display. What an amazing opportunity to discuss God and His crazy love for us!
Maximizing our memories doesn’t take elaborate ideas or lots of funds. Basically it takes a little planning, living in the moment, and being aware of the goodness around us!
I Love that 💗