In some cases it might be easy to get caught in the net of examining our lives in the balance against someone else’s, primarily in today’s world of social media, the Internet, cell laptops, tablets and phones. We can see our friend’s awesome house redesign and then examine our own home and suddenly find it lacking. We may feel we don’t have the ideal clothes, drive the right car, have enough money, or have an important suitable job. Theoretically, it may sound silly, but it’s a common malady that often promote frustration instead of contentment. Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying it in a simple, profound way: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
This concept of selecting bigger and better while trying to keep up with the Joneses can seep into our family vacation time, but it doesn’t need to. Getting caught in the “keeping up” philosophy can actually prevent the chance for families to connect and enjoy meaningful experiences. So, when you’re aiming to tune everything out and focus on building up the relationships that mean the best to you as you integrate this year, listed here are 15 ideas for keeping it simple.
Check out a flick. Nothing wrong with blankets, popcorn, and snacks, too.
Sing together. There’s something about gathering in a circle, singing, and harmonizing together.
Have a family talent performance. If you do, odds are good that some performances will have you splitting a gut, while others may leave you amazed of the gifts your people have.
Go around the circle and have all people share something they’re grateful for from the previous year. This one triggers people to explore deep, so don’t be amazed if you end up needing a Kleenex box.
Read something meaningful aloud. Maybe it’s a quote that transformed your perspective or a passage from an essay that’s funny. Sharing and talking about concepts is fun, and it helps you be familiar with each other better, too.
Establish a memory by doing something surprising. Try new food together, start exploring a peak in the middle of the night, or do something that gets you away from your comfort zone.
Build a fire and roast s’mores. Remember to buy extra chocolate (insert: when can you have too much?).
Set a game. Go out the decks of cards, pull out that new favorite board game, get your favorite snacks, and gather round. Chuckling is sure to take place.
Go get an ice cream. Pile everyone in the car and go get shakes at the local drive in. With so many people getting different flavors, you may get lucky to try more than just your own.
Create sand castles. If you snuck away to the ocean or a lake not far from home for a few days, bring along some sand gear and spend time talking with one another as you build your best version of a medieval fortress.
Get out and move together. Organize a family 5K and enjoy motivating each other (and likely stirring up some healthy banter, too!).
Do a round of everyone sharing their favorite songs they discovered in the past year, the songs they ended up enjoying over and over. Who doesn’t love new tunes and artist suggestions?
View the stars. It sounds so easy, but when it’s quiet and dark and you’re lying on blankets watching the night sky, you’ll experience beauty and likely share some meaningful discussion, too.
Dance. Yup! When everybody’s mingling, crank up some tunes and get the entire family– uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins, old ones and young ones– on their feet. Together. This is A LOT OF FUN.
Distinguish your favorite family stories. They’re funnier when you’re with people that actually are aware of all the nuances and family dynamics at play.
Who says that time with family can’t be amazing when it’s simple? Checking out everyone else’s vacations on social media may make you feel as though yours has to be bigger and better to be terrific, but these simple ideas will help you focus on your relationships, get quality time in, and leave having connected with each other. And if you need a way to get the family from Niagara falls bus tours from NYC during the reunion, we’re only a call away! Group transportation is what we do, and we’ll make getting a substantial group around Niagara falls bus tours from NYC!
