Concience Bay Rd.
Setauket $2,200,000
E. Setauket $1,190,000
SOLD
Dyke Road
Setauket $950,000
SOLD
Hither Brook Rd.
Head of the Harbor $1,200,000
SOLD
Midland Blvd.
Port Jefferson Village $750,000
Stony Brook $730,000
Put my four plus decades of
experience to work for you
Scott Sanders
Licensed Real Estate Broker
59 Year Three Village Resident
Your Local Realtor for over four decades
Scott@SheaAndSanders.com
Cell 516-318-0132
SOLD
SOLD
Varsity Blvd.
SOLD
Sandford Ln.
516-318-0132
www.SheaAndSanders.com
Shea & Sanders Real Estate
222 Main Street (near Mario’s)
East Setauket, NY 11733
10024114
How to Create New
Holiday Traditions
Traditions are hallmarks
of most holidays, but
they’re particularly
prominent during celebrations
that fall at the end of the year.
Th e customs people hold dear
are among the many factors
that set the holiday season
apart. It’s why we eat turkey
when giving thanks or kiss
under the mistletoe.
Just because a holiday is associated
•
with various established traditions doesn’t mean individuals
and families cannot come up with new customs. Here
are some pointers for people seeking to establish new holiday
traditions.
Identify what you value
Values establish the foundation for holiday traditions. Maybe
you aspire to give back to your community? Perhaps the goal is
to spend more quality time with family? Once you’ve identifi ed
the values driving your motivation to start a new holiday tradition,
you can then establish one that aligns with those values.
For example, if you aspire to give back, then a day of service at a
nearby soup kitchen can become a holiday tradition.
Expand on an existing tradition
New traditions do not have to be entirely unique; they could
expand on things that families already do. If family baking sessions
are an existing tradition, perhaps the eff orts can be expanded
to include more family members? Extra items can be
packaged up and shared with elderly neighbors who may no
longer have a lot of family visiting or can’t bake on their own.
Refl ect on childhood traditions
Perhaps there is something adults did during their own childhoods
that can be incorporated into modern traditions? An
adult who has fond memories of playing a game in between
courses of the holiday dinner can engage in that same game to
pass it on to another generation.
Get inspired
Although scouring social media can create feelings of inequality
or even competition as everyone posts their holiday activities,
such searching also can provide inspiration for innovative traditions.
If something a friend is doing looks like it can be fun
and rewarding, families can borrow the tradition and make it
their own.
Communicate with others
Engage the entire family in discussions about traditions they
may want to include in holiday celebrations as well as what
ones they may not enjoy. For example, traditions that foster
over-consumption or create unnecessary stress can be eliminated
and replaced with customs that make everyone feel better.
Involve others
Part of the magic of the holidays is the chance to connect with
others. Expand holiday traditions to include more people. If a
home is not large enough to handle a crowd, think about renting
a room at a VFW center or fi rehouse, where a greater number
of people can get together to create wreaths or even watch
holiday movies. Th e more, the merrier this time of year.•
www.ALLISLANDMEDIA.com Holiday Magic 2025 Edition 804