Travel Time

Instead of watching movies in the car, why not make up your very own family song.  Choose a song that is well known, like yankee-doodle, or twinkle little star, or even the alphabet song. Each person could be a verse in the song. Whenever you travel together you could sing it again, even add more verses, or just make the song about the trip that you're taking.  Don't forget to bring some paper and pencils for everyone - that way it will stick so it won't be forgotton.  This song can be added to your scrapbook pages of your family trip when you get back!

Secret Family Member

This can span over a week or even over an entire month.  Each family member writes their name on a slip of paper.  Slips of paper go into a bowl and each family member chooses a slip of paper from the bowl that is not their own name.  Do not show anyone whos name you chose.  For each day of the week or for each week of the month the person on your slip of paper is your special project - in secret!  Do something nice for that person that would be in character to that person.  If it's your sister maybe download some of her favorite tunes that you know she doesn't have on her Ipod.  Or if it's your mom, perhaps do up some laundry (wash, dry and fold) while she's out shopping so she won't know it was you.  If you picked your dad's name, perhaps clean and sweep out the garage while he's at work.  The possibilities are endless.  And you'll grow to be more thankful for each family member as you do secret stuff to surprise them.

Family History

Go through your family history on either side and chose one member of your extended family.  Go online to a geneology site

( http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp ) and research as much information as you can about the one family member you chose.  Talk to other relatives and see what they were like, or how they grew up.  Getting closer to an ancestor can link families and bring you closer to the people you are a part of!

Lights, Camera - Action!

This one can be fun!  Get out your camera and make a family movie.  You can choose many themes for your movie, like Jack and the Beanstalk, or Little Red Riding Hood, or even make one up on your own.  Just make sure that everyone has a part.  Get props, and costumes, but don't make it too complicated that you drown in the details...just make it fun and entertaining. Then when it's all done, sit down together with some pop corn and watch your oscar winning performances together.  This will be something you'll want to see again and again.  If you have grandparents who live far away, make a copy and send it to them.  I'm sure they'd love it too!

This can be extended to other fun camera themes like:

- make a family rock video

- make a commercial (remember everyone needs to be in it)

- act out your favorite movie (Star Wars, Jurassick Park, Batman, etc.)

- make a who-done-it movie

Volunteer Your Time

Who says that you only need to volunteer at the Food Bank during Christmas time?  The needs of others don't stop after Christmas.  Contact your local Food Bank and ask what specific things they are in need of and then fill that need with whatever your family can do.  Weither its volunteering at their facility, or buying some groceries as a family to donate, or even donating some money that your family earned together (garage sale, collect bottles, etc.)  Whatever the need is, I'm sure they'd be really grateful to get whatever they can.