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Culture

New Traditions to Start With Your Family

Selena Roberts
Tiana Ruffin
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hampton U chapter.

Thanksgiving is the time to gather with your loved ones and reflect on everything you’ve been grateful for in the last year. And for college students, we see this holiday as a break from the lousy food at the cafe. However, in my household, Thanksgiving is all about traditions that have been passed down in my family. Now traditions are nice to have, but they can get a little played out. So why not start some new traditions with your family this year. Here are some ideas on some new traditions you can begin. 

 

  1. Ornament Exchange: Once Thanksgiving is officially over, it is time to celebrate the Christmas season. Have your guests come with an ornament to exchange with another loved one. Think of this as a secret Santa. If you want to make it more fun, have people guess whose ornament is whose. Whoever gets it right on the first try can take extra dessert home. 

  1. Gratitude Jar: Thanksgiving is all about thanks and being thankful for all of the blessings in your life. Why not write down what exactly you have been grateful for in the last year? Before dinner, have everyone read what they are thankful for, and one by one have them drop it in the jar. Let the jar serve as a reminder of gratitude all year long. 

 

  1. Donate Canned Goods: The holiday season is a great time to give back to those in need. Food banks are always accepting any help that they can get. Ask your guests to bring some canned goods and drop off your donation to your local food bank. This may not seem like much, but you are making a massive difference in someone’s life. 

 

 

  1. Thanksgiving Brunch: I don’t know about you, but the worst part of this holiday has to be waiting for all of the food to finish cooking. Or even worse, waiting for all of the guests to arrive. It can be torture. That’s why my family hosts our annual Turkey Day brunch. We have everyone bring a dish, and we use this time to catch up.  

 

  1. Bake Off: Everyone knows that Thanksgiving is not the day to test out recipes. Still, my family wants everyone to feel involved. That is why all of my aunts participate in a sweet potato pie competition. All I can say is that it is very competitive, but it’s all in good fun. And my cousins and I get to eat all the pie we want. It’s a win-win situation. 

 

Selena Roberts

Hampton U '21

Selena Roberts is a senior Strategic Communications major with an area of emphasis in Political Science minor from Spring Valley, NY. She is a part of the Freddye T. Davy Honors College, Student Government Association. Her Campus, Young Adults Advocating Change, and the Student Recruitment Team. Selena loves the performing arts and is a fan of romantic comedies. She loves to rewatch episodes of Insecure and listen to Jazmine Sullivan, SZA, and Brandy. She hopes to combine her love of media, traveling, and politics together after graduating from Hampton University.
Tiana Ruffin

Hampton U '21

I have the privilege to serve as Campus Correspondent for the Her Campus Hampton U Chapter a second year! I am a graduating Senior, Strategic Communications major, Marketing minor currently studying at the illustrious Hampton University. I am from Richmond, VA (shoutout to the 804!). In addition to classes, I run my own creative agency, Tiana Nichelle Marketing where I specialize in social media management, content creation, public relations, and branding. My love for the PR and Communications industry is the reason my ultimate goal is to become a celebrity publicist in the upcoming years! Her Campus Hampton U is an organization that is near and dear to me and I am so happy to be a leader of this ELITE chapter!