One Mom On How To Get The Whole Family Involved In Holiday Fun

Ah, the holidays! It’s the time of year for togetherness, reflection, and nostalgia. It's also when our hearts and our homes are more full than normal. We decorate, we gather, give gifts, and give back. We get ready for a brand new year ahead with the people who mean the most to us.

But with full hearts also come full schedules and to-do lists, which can be a recipe for making this season every bit as hectic as it is happy. So while you’re in the habit of making your fa-la-la-la-long lists and checking them twice, it's crucial to make time for what matters most before the season passes you by. A great way to do that is by including your family in holiday fun however you can, from the obvious to the unexpected. And when you have a trusted retailer like JCPenney on your side, making holiday memories can be as simple as a trip to the store (or to the website!).

For an expert's take on having family-centric season, Bustle sat down with blogger, mom of three, and holiday lover Jehava Brown, the voice behind lifestyle site "OnlyGirl4Boyz." She shared how she roots family at the center of this busy season, giving her tips for choosing the right activities, making sure everyone feels involved, and never letting holiday madness stop her family from making memories.

Here are Brown's pro tips for creating special holiday moments that your family will never forget.

Don’t Let “Busy” Be An Excuse

“Family first” is more than just a saying — it’s a way of life that Brown embraces during the busy holiday season. She recommends staying mindful of the many ways the holiday hustle can chip away at your family's togetherness, and then plan those obligatory commitments around your family time, and not vice versa.

“Schedule family time out. A lot of people think that it’s unnatural to put family time on your calendar, that it should just happen organically, but that’s not realistic. Life gets in the way, but when you put it on the calendar, it actually happens," Brown tells Bustle. "We schedule family time year round, but because the holidays are such a wild time, we're more intentional about putting family time on the calendar during those months."

Bring On The Bonding

Having kids at different ages and stages can make it challenging to find holiday-related activities that everyone can get into. But as mama bears, we know our families best. Brown recommends choosing activities that surround your family's favorite things to bond over, which, in her case, are games, movies, and food!

"Since we’re a family of (mostly) boys, food has a lot to do with fun in our house. My kids love to bake, so we try to find creative recipes to make. All of the boys are also really into animated movies and board games, so those are also easy activities that everyone can enjoy, regardless of age. We’ll work together to come up with a snack, then pick a game to play or a movie to watch, and everyone will feel part of the fun."

Embrace Traditions New And Old

New or old, traditions are yours for the making, so find some that your crew can look forward to year after year. Brown stresses that traditions don't have to require a ton of planning and can sometimes be as simple as trimming the tree together or ordering a special meal as a family.

“Every year, we have a decorating night where we decorate the tree while blasting the same iconic Christmas songs. Once we’ve decorated, we always put on a Christmas movie and cuddle up. It’s one of our favorite traditions! Another fun thing we’ve done for the last five years is we get Chinese food on Christmas Eve — it's a silly thing, but we look forward to it every year."

And when it comes to discovering new traditions, Brown emphasizes that you can't go wrong with food: "We just tried out an indoor s’mores maker that the boys absolutely loved — that'll definitely become a yearly thing from now on." Yum!

In a season full of swirl, sometimes all you need is a sweet treat shared with loved ones to remind you that family truly is the most important thing.

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This post is sponsored by JCPenney.