This February 19 will be National Family Day across Canada and provides the perfect opportunity while the weather is still cold and we are still keen to hunker down and stay at home, to get the wider family together and appreciate this time.
How about considering a way to make this occasion a special time, create some lovely memories and make some plans for the year ahead.
Share skills
Across the generations the skillset of family members will likely be very different. Younger family members may have no idea how to make Grandpa’s infamous pot roast but would love to know how to recreate this taste of home now that they live further afield. Whilst, conversely, those same younger family members are only too skilled at sharing their snaps on social media or creating a mass get together over video call.
Why not set an intention of skill swapping at a Sunday brunch event and aim to upskill others in your family with what you can bring to the table! What a way to learn something new, have some laughs together with your family and show your recognition that the older generation and younger generation have much to gain from each other!
Enjoy the great outdoors
Perhaps the weather is too cold where you are, and if so, you can always get something in the diary for in a few weeks’ time as it will be a lovely occasion to look forward to when Spring finally peeks its head through the winter chill. But, if you can, get together en masse for a big family walk and head home to a hot chocolate station to warm up again.
Family members, both young and old, can benefit from a little exercise and a boost of Vitamin D from the daylight at this time of year so a lovely walk together will deliver this nicely, not to mention the chance to catch up on family news.
Get a family photo
You could even take the opportunity to capture a professional family photo whilst getting the gang together again. This is often one of those good intentions that we never seem to get around to organizing, so let National Family day give you the nudge that is needed to make it happen. Or just get a fun snap yourselves, perhaps in a favourite location and make it a new tradition to take a similar pic every year.
Start your family tree
As we get older, more of us start to show an interest in our ancestry and finding out more about where and who we came from. With so much more information and archives accessible online it is easier than it used to be to start researching a family tree. This could be a great way for you and other family members with similar interests to dig into the past and share what you find out at the next family get together.
Volunteer
What a way to demonstrate the values of kindness and care that you hold dear in your family. If you have harbored a desire to volunteer but have not had the nerve to do so alone, try roping in other family members. It may be something that you can do together which makes it as special for you as for the charity you choose to help out.
Perhaps you can lend a hand at a homeless shelter, sort items at goodwill, assist in a community garden or help children with their reading at a local school. There are so many organisations both large and small that are always looking for new volunteers even just for one-off occasions, but so much the better if you have a regular slot of free time to offer.
Hopefully you have been inspired to be mindful of this month’s National Family Day. Now is the time to act, get your other family members on board and make plans for February 19. We at Stiltz Home Elevators hope you have a very special time with loved ones.