I am willing to guess that even the most organized of families still feel some of the chaos of the holiday season within the walls of their home. I have not figured out the secret to avoiding holiday stress altogether, but I do find myself finding deep comfort in the routines, both Christmas-centered and continual, that my husband and I have shaped for our family.
One of these routines is [typography font=”Tangerine” size=”28″ size_format=”px” color=”#4b12c7″]Family Friday[/typography] . This custom was born out of our family’s natural rhythms as we found ourselves craving relaxation and connection after a week of school and work. Many Friday nights felt heavy, and as though simply cooking dinner and putting together a board game felt overwhelmingly daunting. After one particularly busy week, my son remarked how much he enjoyed having pizza on Fridays. His comment was our light bulb moment; when we realized that we had ordered pizza for the past few Fridays in a row. My husband and I recognized that allowing ourselves the night “off” of normal household duties and responsibilities had, in turn, paved the way for a night that just felt so joyful and so celebratory. From then on we instituted [typography font=”Tangerine” size=”28″ size_format=”px” color=”#4b12c7″]Family Fridays[/typography] in our home and had a proper discussion with our children about our new practice. They were completely ecstatic! Our recipe:
1) Pizza from either Cucina Antica or as a special treat, Pizza on Earth. 
2) Dessert!
3) A movie, either a new one or an old favorite. Talking about the movie choice during the days leading up to [typography font=”Tangerine” size=”28″ size_format=”px” color=”#4b12c7″]Family Friday[/typography] also helps build excitement.
4) Red wine for my husband and prosecco for me!
5) Bathtime either takes place before dinner or is skipped.
6) Just us. Exceptions can be made to this rule, but generally we don’t invite friends over.
[typography font=”Tangerine” size=”28″ size_format=”px” color=”#4b12c7″]Family Fridays[/typography] are simple and enjoyable. I cannot remember a Family Friday that was not highly anticipated by all of us. It’s such a lovely way to kick off our weekends together and it helps us find our happy place, enjoying the spirit of the night together.
[typography font=”Tangerine” size=”28″ size_format=”px” color=”#4b12c7″]Family Fridays[/typography] are sacred in our house. It’s about us being together. Of course, tantrums and meltdowns can occur, even on Family Fridays. My husband and I will teasingly remind each other of our St. Lucia honeymoon mantra, learned from the easy-going locals. “No pressure, no problem.”
If you could create a weekly night that is completely centered around your family’s relaxation, what would it look like?
Love this idea Tricia!