I love how traditions are like that, though. They really keep our families connected to one another, especially as our children grow older. It seems like the majority of our holiday traditions are in conjunction with the big holidays: Christmas, Easter, and even Valentine's Day. What about some of the holidays where we actually celebrate each other?
Our parents do so much for us throughout our entire lives. I'm 40 years old and my parents are at my house right now helping me out with things we wouldn't be able to do without them. And it isn't just home projects, they help me figure out how to discipline my children (they have many more years of experience than I do), they help me make difficult decisions (they are full of great advice), and they help me get through the overwhelming feelings I so often experience as a busy wife and mother. But most of all, they love me. And they always have.
I am so grateful for my parents and we do have a few traditions that celebrate them each year on Mother's Day and Father's Day. My parents--my mom especially--mostly just love to receive letters on these holidays. My mom wants to hear how much we love her and why. She saves every single letter and I assume she reads them often. Phone calls are a big tradition, too. With my parents living a couple thousand miles away, we can't have a nice dinner together and so we have to rely on the telephone (or Skype or Facetime).
Even though I talk to my parents often, it's important that I recognize them on the holiday that was created to honor them. And it's my pleasure to do so. However, as I think about the traditions my family has for other holidays, I feel like these calls and letters--wonderful as they are--aren't enough.
I think about how much we look forward to watching certain movies on specific days during the Christmas holidays. I think about how excited we get about eating foods that we only get on Thanksgiving Day or at Easter dinner. How about creating some traditions we can really get excited about? Traditions that will be meaningful to parents, but also something kids will have fun doing, and that will teach them thoughtfulness in the process.
1. Keep your recipient in mind
2. Get creative
3. Take it one step further
4. Don't just keep it in the family
The trick to all of these tips is to make it special. Choose things that you will only do on this one day of the year, then it will truly be something you can look forward to all year long!
Let’s celebrate our parents with New York Life by sharing how we plan to honor our parents this Mother's and Father's Days.
Share a photo on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #KeepGoodGoing and then visit New York Life's Celebrating Good page to see how others are celebrating their moms and dads.
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My mom and me on Mother's Day 2014. The first one we celebrated together in person in nearly 10 years. #KeepGoodGoing |
What are your favorite Mother's Day/Father's Day traditions?

Mother's Day brunch is a fun tradition.
ReplyDeletemami2jcn at gmail dot com
tweet--https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/598933288888184833
ReplyDeleteI like to take my mother out for lunch. We usually do it the day before Mother's Day when it isn't as crowded!
ReplyDeletereklaw422 at Hotmail dot com
Love going golf with my dad for Father's Day.
ReplyDeletetweet- https://twitter.com/groogruxking40/status/598954869110616064
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Mother's Day tradition is to make my Mom breakfast and give her a gift and take her out to dinner and spend the day with her! Now my son and daughter carry on the tradition by making me breakfast and giving me a heartfelt gift and going out to dinner, but the most important thing about Mother's Day is spending time with your kids, and Mom!
ReplyDeletemy email jewelwood55(at)gmail(dot)com
Tweet entry
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/598955239660654593
my email jewelwood55(at)gmail(dot)com
i love taking my mom to lunch
ReplyDeleteI like to take my mom to lunch
ReplyDeletetweet-https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/599018639409287168
ReplyDeleteI like to make my husband a special meal to let him know that we love and appreciate him.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy having lunch with my parents and spending the day together.
ReplyDeletekellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom
tweet
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/599037841847545856
kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom
The whole month of June is really rough, my sons birthday, my husbands birthday, fathers day and our anniversary, so this would be awesome to win! We usually do a grill for my husband and the boys give him presents he is not too keen on sweets so we make him some homemade granola or trail mix or something healthy. Then we all tell him reasons why we love and adore and appreciate him!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Mother's Day/Father's Day tradition is having big family barbecues for each day. We always get together for a nice cookout.
ReplyDeleteprettyinhotpink6 at gmail dot com
Tweet:https://twitter.com/PrettyHotPink6/status/599763590870999040
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Mother's Day/Father's Day tradition is to enjoy dinner together.
ReplyDeletetcarolinep at gmail dot com
-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/599783118938112000
ReplyDeleteI hear you! My husband's birthday is often ON Father's Day and our anniversary is in there somewhere, too. Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteDinner or a BBQ is our yearly tradition.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/600268567309787136
ReplyDeleteWe always go out to a lovely brunch on Mother's Day. A great way to treat my mom!
ReplyDeleteFavorite Mother's day tradition is to have a nice meal together and give mom lots of presents and balloons.
ReplyDeleteheather hgtempaddy@hotmail.com
I don't have a tradition but I always make sure to take the time to do something special for my Mom and dad and let them know I'm thinking of them and that I appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteTweeted https://twitter.com/StaceyNNE/status/601403312668160000
ReplyDeleteOur families favorite Mother's & Father's Day traditions is having a brunch, or getting together to have a banquet.
ReplyDeletenicole.ddziedzic at gmail dot com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/lil_lady_dz/status/601654147629223936
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100% and what a sweet picture of you two! Family traditions keep everyone together and growing each year. Each year we get our entire family together and either do a big brunch or cookout at the lake. It is always such a special day and we create so many memories that we will cherish forever!
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/mmstarla/status/601849428329140224
ReplyDeleteI tweeted! https://twitter.com/mmstarla/status/601859223702482944
ReplyDeletestarla.batesATyahooDOTcom
I try to have low expectations on mother's day because I've been let down far too many times! Though one of the best things we do as an extended family is to get together and let the guys plan and cook the meal. It's nice to have a night off from that.!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had better traditions! It doesn't seem to be as important to my husband as it is to me.... but in his defense, he comes from a family that isn't big on celebrations, unlike MY family that makes a big deal out of everything! My mom always made every holiday a big deal. Funny how these things pass on generation to generation.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is taking my Mom out to eat and then buying her favorite flowers!
ReplyDeletemy4boysand1@gmail.com
I tweeted my4boysand1@gmail.com
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/my4boysand1/status/602345653071642624
We like to have a BBQ and invite our parents over for a great meal. Then we usually take a walk around the neighborhood together.
ReplyDeletemadelinebrubaker {at} gmail [dot] com
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/604081005557866496
ReplyDeletemadelinebrubaker {at} gmail [dot] com
I love taking my mom out to breakfast!
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/TheKimSixFix/status/604154632630239232
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