Family Focused Traditions

Family-focused traditions are part of what keep people happy and healthy. This year, you can take part in a few family-focused traditions to bring you and your loved ones even closer. At Right Steps Education, we believe in helping families stay connected, so we’ve got a few traditions that you can share with those you love this season.

Shabbat is a day of rest that goes from sundown on Friday evening through Saturday’s nightfall. Many observant Jews do not drive or work during shabbat. Yet they do take part in enjoying three meals together as a family. The first two meals are Friday night dinner and Shabbat lunch. These meals are thoughtfully prepared and are preceded by sipping the ceremonial kiddush wine and the breaking of the challah bread. A Sunday meal is also shared and families take part in light singing, togetherness and love.

Rosh Hoshana is another tradition that involves sounding a ram’s horn and placing a dish of apples and honey on the table. Some families also serve a pomegranate. According to the tradition, placing the pomegranate is done because it has a crown-shape similar to challah and also because its seeds symbolize hope for future good deeds being fulfilled.

Other families celebrate Christmas and have traditions leading up to and including this special day, such as decorating a large Christmas trees, hanging Advent wreaths, and sharing candy canes with one another. Many families celebrate with a Nativity scene to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas carols are sung and stockings are often hung inside households, as well. In addition, most families exchange Christmas gifts and observe a special mass one another Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is celebrated on Christmas Eve in many houses and is supposed to be a penitential mela. This feast is usually celebrated as a tradition to honor the sacrifice of Jesus and is done to support the centuries-old rule against eating meat on Friday. Many families prepare large meals for all family members to enjoy as they prepare to celebrate the Christmas season.