What is a family ceremony?
A family ceremony is a way to acknowledge the big, and not so big, events that you experience together. Family means something different to everyone, yet the desire to belong is universal. Whether it’s your chosen family or the one you grew up with, the way we are with our family is often connected to how we show up in the world.
Why are family ceremonies important?
Family ceremonies give us something to hold onto during turbulent times, and they help us share our joy. Family ceremonies emphasize the importance of the moments that happen within a family, and help us recognize them as they occur. They also remind us to create more opportunities for those moments to be acknowledged and celebrated.
How do you create a family ceremony?
It starts with defining what your family needs to thrive. If you have children, ask them to help brainstorm what words and feelings they connect with and want more of. It’s about finding a way to look back at our lineage and forward at our legacy. It’s honouring where we came from and imagining what will one day matter most to us.
Family inspiration
Whether you have kids or not, there are so many ways to integrate ceremony into your family life. We are excited to share some of the ceremonies we’ve uncovered, as well as how they can be tweaked for your unique family structure. Follow along to find out more!
House Cooling
Taking the time to say goodbye to a home is one of the most important ways you can honour all of the stories you created there and cherish the memories moving forward.
Family Motto
Gathering as a family, you can create ceremony in articulating how you want to live and what values you uphold. This creates a shared common language, of what is important to you as a collective.
Vacation
Marking the beginning and end of a trip can be so powerful, helping you sink into the experience and recognize moments along the way. It's particularly powerful for little ones to help with transition.