17 Families Who Came Up With Traditions That Are Impossible Not to Love

Almost every family has its own special rituals and traditions. For example, in one family it is customary to watch animated series together, and it is watching them together that helps them avoid long quarrels. And in another family, it is customary to remember 3 nice moments that happened during the day before going to bed.

• I have a very big family, and my relatives live in different countries. But whenever something important happens in the family — like a milestone birthday or a wedding — we all try to come together, no matter which country it’s in.
  Recently my uncle called me and said, “So when are you going to invite me to your wedding? I’ve been dreaming of driving there the same way I did when I went to your parents’ wedding.” I’m not planning on getting married anytime soon, but it warmed my heart to realize that even though my family is far away, we’re always close in spirit.
• My mom and I have this little tradition where we take turns making coffee or tea for each other. Whoever asks first gets a cup. The one who “gets caught” always pretends to argue a bit, like, “I don’t feel like it, why don’t you make it yourself?” That’s our funny little ritual.

“My family (me and my dad) have this thing we do every year where we put out snacks for delivery drivers at Christmas, and it’s so wholesome seeing their reactions.”

“We actually started doing this because of a Reddit post we saw a few years back, so I hope we can inspire some other people as well!”

• We spent a long time preparing for the wedding. We asked our guests not to bring any gifts, but most of them still didn’t come empty-handed. One present in particular really touched me — it was from my grandparents.
  They gave us a big, fragile box. We opened it, and inside was their wedding china set. Just think about it: it had stayed perfectly intact through 50 years of their marriage.
  They asked us to keep this family heirloom safe. My husband and I looked at each other and knew right away that one day we would pass it down to our children too. © Not everyone will understand / VK
• My girlfriend introduced me to her parents. We started talking about family traditions, and her mom told me that all the women in their family used to have a special ring — it was believed to bring a strong marriage. During some tough years, her grandfather had to sell it, and they never managed to buy it back.
  A couple of months later, I decided to give my girlfriend a pretty ring. A friend of mine suggested a great place where you could find antiques at a good price, and since my girlfriend loves that kind of thing, I picked out a ring and gave it to her.
  It turned out to be the very same family ring her grandfather once sold. It finally came back. Now we’ve been married for 7 years, and everything’s going great. © Not everyone will understand / VK

“My husband and I go to our local park every year to clean up the area, plant flowers, and celebrate the new season.”

“It’s his tradition to draw a chalk picture to manifest our wishes for spring! I hope our spell reaches you, too!”

• I grew up in a big family, and even before my younger siblings were born, we already had this funny tradition of spending ages in the bathroom: solving crosswords, reading...
  When I was little, I would draw on toilet paper, then moved on to my parents’ crosswords, and later to my mom’s books. When my sisters were born, the bathroom became a refuge and a place where everyone could have some alone time: for a while I even did my homework there, because my sister would trail after me everywhere.
  Now I live with my husband, and in his family it’s nothing like that — no one spends more than 5 minutes there. I’ve tried to explain why I sit in the toilet for so long, but nobody understands. For me, the bathroom has always stayed a place of solitude. © Ward 6 | Anonymous Stories / Telegram
• We have a family tradition: every August the whole family gets together for a week, with relatives coming from all over the country — always to the same place. © mileena_bf

“We have a tradition of hanging pictures of our buddy in our bathroom when he visits. ”

“This is the normal photo we use.”

• We have a family tradition: every evening I read a chapter of a book aloud to my husband before bed. We’ve already finished all the Harry Potter books and are now halfway through Alice in Wonderland. © foxdizigner
• I’m just over 30. I have a demanding job where every day is an endless stream of adult faces and adult problems. I love my work, but by the weekend I get so drained from it that the only way I can recharge is by going to my nephews.
  We’ve turned it into a tradition: my brother and his wife happily go off to their grown-up errands, and I stay with their 4 kids, aged 6 to 12, and become one of them again. We set up quests, draw on every surface, bake cupcakes, build incredible cities out of blocks, do experiments, act out little plays, and even practice juggling apples.
  I forget about serious conversations, work, the news, and bills. On these days, I feel like a child again, and honestly, I don’t want to grow up, at least not in spirit. © Caramel / VK

“Every birthday, my mom makes a balloon photo zone for me.”

• We always spend New Year’s with family. This time, our eldest daughter, a medical student studying in another city, decided for the first time to spend New Year’s Eve with her friends instead of us, since she had an important exam on December 31. It was a little sad, but you can’t hold back an adult child just for tradition.
  After decorating the tree and getting ready for the New Year, we were texting her about the menu when suddenly there was a knock at the door. My son shouted, “Nora!” I looked, and there she was — frozen, tired, but happy. She had taken a train after her exam, buying a ticket at the last minute.
  It was the best gift for the holiday. The most memorable New Year of my life. I love her. © Room 6 | Stories Anonymous / Telegram
• My boyfriend and I have a little tradition — we watch cartoon series together. Even if we fight, we never watch them alone. So we usually make up quickly and generally try not to fight, because we’re always curious to see what happens next. © Ward 6 | Anonymous Stories / Telegram

“Keeping Dad’s memory alive with ‘first day of school’ cake”

“When I was a kid, my dad always made a (boxed) cake for us to eat when we got home from our first day of school every year. He’s not around anymore and never got to meet my kid. My kid’s first day of the preschool year was today, so I made him a little cake to celebrate, keep the tradition alive, and tell him about the grandfather he never met.”

• Whenever I or my 2 sons get up from the table, we always kiss or hug the wife/mom. It developed naturally, but it feels like a way of showing gratitude for the meal and the effort put into it. I think when they grow up, they’ll be equally respectful to their own wives. © rustem.ess.
• My son (he’s 7) and I have a tradition: every night before bed, we recall 3 great moments from the day. Yesterday, for the third one, he said, “I liked that you were watching me while I threw the ball — it helped me make it.” The shortest and most accurate explanation of how loving presence and attention really work. © eereza

Some family traditions of the heroes of our article are really inspiring. Does your family have special rituals?

And these families could star in their own dramatic soap operas.