by Isabella Dussias

What is cherished the most by teens during the holiday season? Of course, we love our time off from school to relax with family and friends. It’s a nice break to pull away from what often feels like over-scheduled lives and take time to realize what matters most to us. However, in polling some of my friends, I found that teens have a lot of pride in what makes them unique in how they celebrate the holidays. 

There are many families that carry on traditions that have been handed down through generations. Learning how to make those cherished family recipes is important to us as young adults because someday we will be handing these down to future generations. Teens have pride in what we have learned from those who have come before us and taught us about our heritage. Whether it is making a special meal or going to a certain holiday event each year, it makes us feel special and have a greater sense of connection to our family as a whole. There are certain things my friends look forward to annually. Without them, the holiday season would not feel the same.

So, this year, if you think your teen isn’t interested in that traditional family activity or that maybe they’ve outgrown it, think again. We are just waiting for the custom that we have become used to—the song we always sing or the cookies we always bake or crafts we always make—that embodies holiday cheer. 

Home is where the heart is—this is what we cherish. Those special times with family and the traditions they have taught us have made us who we have become. Someday we will be the ones ensuring that these endure, that the fabric of our family is maintained and that we build a home full of warmth and happiness.

So, here’s to a season full of love, family, traditions and holiday cheer! Hope it’s a good one for you and yours!

Isabella Dussias is a 16-year-old singer-songwriter/composer from New Jersey. She enjoys writing about issues that are important to today’s youth, and she believes music is an important outlet to connect people and share messages through the creativity of lyric and melody. For more information, please visit IsabellaDussias.com.