Reimagining traditions to fit your healthy lifestyle

Part of the Healthy Habits series

Let’s talk about reimagining traditions….

I’ve never liked the idea of throwing away healthy lifestyle changes during the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s only to restart them with fervor in January. I’ve found that starting over in January feels like taking two steps forward and three steps back.

Plus, after completely abandoning health goals for two months, we often feel the need to go overboard which is unsustainable.  This decreases the likelihood of returning to healthy habits.  Consistency, but not rigidity, is key to making healthy lifestyle changes last and become routine.

Traditions are Important. So is Your Health.

Traditions hold a special place in our lives, often tying us to family, culture, and memories. They are extremely important and part of a healthy lifestyle. However, as our health goals change, sometimes these cherished rituals no longer align with who we’ve become. Rather than abandoning them altogether, there’s an opportunity to reimagine traditions to better fit the healthier new you. If your traditions no longer serve you, adjust them to fit your new lifestyle in a way that gives proper homage to the original tradition. Let your traditions evolve to fit the new you. I’ve personally found I get more long-term enjoyment from those traditions when I do this.

Rather than abandoning unhealthy holiday traditions, there’s an opportunity to reimagine them to better fit the healthier new you.

A Personal Healthier Holiday Tradition Example

Here’s an example of a Christmas tradition in our house that has evolved over time to better align with our healthy lifestyle:

The very first year Jon and I were married, we started a tradition of decorating our tree together. That night, we ended up making three trips to the store for more lights and, close to midnight, grabbed some snacks to toast the tree: a chocolate orange, salami, cheese ball, crackers, and cranberry ginger ale. Once we had kids, we added shortbread cookies and marshmallows. This became our annual tree-toasting feast.

Over time, as we adopted healthier eating habits, we began to adjust this tradition. We swapped the salami and chocolate orange for ones with better ingredients and sourced small-batch marshmallows with limited ingredients. Eventually, we changed more: homemade gingerbread cookies with whole grains and less sugar instead of store-bought shortbread, fresh fruit was added, and blood orange soda with cleaner ingredients replaced the ginger ale. Over the years this tradition continued to change to better fit our food principles.

By making small, gradual adjustments, we’ve kept the heart of the tradition alive while ensuring it fits our healthier lifestyle. We still look forward to it every year, but now it complements our health goals instead of compromising them.

Today our tree-toasting feast is composed of Raaka winter citrus mini chocolate bars, homemade gingerbread cookies made with whole grains and less sugar, a homemade cheese spread served with Cult Crackers, apple slices, and pecans plus fresh squeezed blood orange juice with soda water and small demitasse cups of Jon’s homemade non-alcoholic eggnog.

We no longer include the marshmallows as all of us agreed we aren’t excited by them any more, same for the salami. We now enjoy this feast in place of dinner with a leafy salad beforehand and a long walk afterward.

This special once a year feast isn’t health food by any stretch of the imagination, but it does fit within a consistent, not rigid way of thinking. It helps us maintain the tradition that we love and look forward to AND our healthy lifestyle habits. 

Tips for Healthier Holiday Traditions

Just as we adjusted our family tradition to better fit our healthy lifestyle, you can do the same with yours. Here are a few ideas for making your favorite holiday rituals healthier, without losing the joy they bring.

Try this: Take a couple of your favorite traditional holiday treats and do an internet search for healthier versions.

Why Should You Give This Healthy Habit a Try?

Reimagining your traditions to fit your healthier lifestyle doesn’t mean giving up the things you love. By making thoughtful adjustments, you can stay true to your favorite rituals while supporting your well-being. Imagine entering the new year feeling balanced and energized, without the pressure to “get back on track.” Instead of starting from scratch in January, you’ll be maintaining the healthy habits you established before the holidays. A healthier you can embrace the best of both worlds—cherished traditions and well-being.

Looking for ways to make your holiday meals healthier without feeling like you’re sacrificing?