F is for Family and Friends: Themed Activities

I had planned to cover FISH as my theme but it didn't seem meaningful compared to FAMILY and FRIENDS who are key to our well-being and deserve to be honoured every day of the year.  Their presence (or absence) is particularly noticed during holiday seasons as we plan get-togethers and celebrations with the people we love.  I would like to highlight ways to honour family and friends with some ideas in today's blog.

1. First and foremost, my recommendation is to show love any way you can.  Give your mom a hug. Wave to a friend. Smile at a neighbour. Visit a grandparent. Call a sibling. Perform an act of kindness.  Do whatever will remind your family members and/or friends that they are special and loved. 

2. Send cards with notes specific to the recipient.  For example, you could send a thank you card to your uncle for taking you to your swim class, a Christmas card to an elderly neighbour who invited you to make cookies one day or a greeting card to a close friend who moved far away.  The cards can be little notes, seasonal cards, drawings or handmade cards designed specifically for that family member or friend.  Of course, creative minds may also like to design a gift as well which is welcome.

3.  Do a photo shoot with family and friends.  Create fun moments and commemorate it with some beautiful and also some crazy pictures of these memorable times.  Of course, a professional photo shoot is possible but I was thinking more of getting disposable cameras or using phones for digital pics. Have fun taking turns being the family photographer. Maybe you can even have a contest to capture the best picture of dad or the silliest picture or the most festive one. 

4.Create photo collages or albums with the pictures.  Even infants enjoying looking at photos of the faces of their family members and people they see regularly.  Looking at a photo of another smiling baby is enjoyable but creating an album of people close to them is even better.  A grandparent would also love a photo album, or at least a photo of the grandchild doing something they enjoy so they can show off their growing family.  Creating a collage of pictures is a fantastic and meaningful gift idea. You can make your own or go professional with several other photo based gifts that can be created such as mugs, blankets, mousepads and notebooks as some of the many options that exist.

5. Play a game with family or friends where you do a variation on a scavenger hunt.  Ideas include, find something that is grandma's favourite colour, a sock that belongs to dad or an ingredient from mom's favourite meal.  Discover who is the oldest, whose birthday month is closest to the start of the year or who can play a musical instrument.  Not only is it fun and bonding, it also helps people get to know each other better.  The criteria for the hunt will vary based on your current level of familiarity and/or on whether or not you want to cover a specific theme like Christmas memories or favourite things.

6. To remember the fish component, maybe plan a fish dinner as a part of celebrations with family and friends or enjoy time with your pet fish or read a book together such as "The Rainbow Fish", "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" or "Hooray for Fish".  

The time together with family and friends is what will stay in your heart and create meaningful memories to last a lifetime. Make the most of it!


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