6 Ways to Include Birth Families in Holiday Celebrations

This can be a hard time of year for birth families. You can help make it merry and bright.

Shelley Skuster December 07, 2015

No doubt about it, the holidays are a special time for families.

Here are six simple ways for including birth families in your holiday celebrations:

1. Send a holiday card.

Remember your child’s birth family during the holidays. Make sure they’re included on your holiday card list.

2. Mail a gift.

Send your child’s birth family a homemade gift with your child’s handprint or footprint. Not only will they be able to see how much your child has grown, they’ll have a seasonal reminder of how much they’re loved.

3. Invite them to participate.

Whether it’s via Facetime, Google Hangouts, or in person, invite your child’s birth family to participate in your holiday traditions. They may not always take you up on the offer for dinner or cookie-baking, but invitations for involvement can be thoughtful.

4. Incorporate new family traditions.

Find out what your child’s birth family does each year for the holidays. Is there a certain meal they cook? Do they have a fun tradition of watching holiday movies in their pajamas the week before Christmas? Incorporate one of their family traditions into your own family.

5. Share photos.

As your family reflects on the year, share some snapshots of memories you’ve made together with your child’s birth family. Consider sending candid photographs or design a book online. Include photos of your child’s milestones, family vacations and candid photographs that are bound to make them smile.

6. Embrace their presence.

If distance or another barrier prevents you from sharing the holidays with your child’s birth family, consider celebrating their presence in another way. Whether it’s a recordable story book recorded by your child’s birth family or a special holiday ornament that marks the year you became a family, take time to embrace, honor, and celebrate your child’s birth family this holiday season.

Shelley Skuster

Shelley is a former award-winning television journalist who traded in suit coats and red lipstick for a messy bun and yoga pants. She's a freelance writer who stays at home with her three daughters who are all ((gasp)) under the age of three and came to her via adoption and birth. She's the woman behind the blog Shelley Writes and she can also be found on facebook and twitter as ShelleySkuster.

6 Ways to Include Birth Families in Holiday Celebrations

This can be a hard time of year for birth families. You can help make it merry and bright.

Shelley Skuster

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