Guest post by Asheritah from of OneThingAlone.com
You don’t have to break the bank to celebrate. In fact, as I look back on my childhood, the best celebrations were the simple, unexpected ones, the chocolate cake in the middle of the week “just because”, the watermelon-eating contests to mark the passing of summer, the “attagirl” and pat on the back for a great slide tackle.
If you’re looking to add some excitement to your week or want to create some fun memories this summer, here are seven ways to add a flair of celebration to every day:
1. Make a big deal out of small accomplishments.
Did your toddler go potty by herself? Dance around the house with her!
Did you run 100 yards farther than before? Jump in the air and pump your fist!
Celebrating little accomplishments goes a long way to elevating our mood, and it also helps strengthen relationships.
In our family, my husband and I started celebrating our relationship every 3rd of the month before we even married. It gives us something to look forward to every month and I love coming up with little ways to surprise him.
2. Remember that every day is a holiday.
Every year my husband, daughter, and I dress up like cows to celebrate Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A. It’s become an annual tradition and we love being silly together (the free sandwiches sweeten the deal).
Check out local business’ event days or an online calendar for wacky holidays. See who can do the best moonwalk on lunar landing day (7/20) or eat cheesecake on National Cheesecake Day (7/30). Every day can be a holiday!
3. Start a list of #1000 gifts.
God’s gifts to us every day are miraculous blessings — but we often brush past them because we don’t stop to see them. Take a page from Ann Voskamp and write down 3 gifts each day; you’ll be surprised by all the reasons to celebrate every day.
Recently, I visited a friend’s house and saw a poster-sized piece of paper hanging in the kitchen with a long list of things they were grateful for, everything from shoes on sale to a life-changing missions trip. I LOVE that they do this as a family and that everyone contributes. You can write down anything and everything you are grateful for, and even share #1000gifts on social media like I do.
4. Make a toast at dinner.
Toasts don’t have to be relegated to wedding receptions or black-tie affairs. Pour some orange juice and make a toast to your husband, child, or friend, sharing with them what you appreciate about them or celebrating a recent accomplishment.
They may be embarrassed on the spot, but I bet they’ll also be touched and encouraged.
5. High-Five for a great job.
I read somewhere that giving out high-fives increases endorphins and general good-feelings. I’ve tried to include more high-fives in my day (both at work and at home) and the effect is a contagious smile and a rise in energy.
Finished putting away laundry with your husband? High-five! Got a sale at work? High-five! Managed to get the kids out of the house in time to catch the sermon at church? High-five!
6. Use the good dishes and put flowers on the table.
When someone special comes over for dinner, you probably tidy up, bring out the good dishes, put on a table cloth and maybe a vase of flowers.
Do that for your family. Make them feel special and celebrate each other!
7. Frame an “every day” picture.
Let’s face it: most days the house is a mess, dishes are in the sink, and we might get any makeup on. But it’s in that everyday grind that miracles happen: little lives are nurtured, two become one, relationships are built, and lives are transformed in those small daily things.
Celebrate those miracles by taking pictures of life as it really happens: tickle fights while putting away laundry, smeared spaghetti-faced babes, crayons spread across the kitchen table, and muddy boots in the foyer that tell of dancing in the rain. Pick your favorite and frame it to remind yourself that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful (thanks to The Nester for that lesson).
With some forethought and an intentional attitude, we can break up the monotony of the daily grind and celebrate little miracles every day.
What about you? How do you celebrate every day?
Asheritah blogs at OneThingAlone.com about her journey to resting in God’s amazing grace, celebrating Jesus through laundry piles, stacked bills, and midnight cries. She also posts encouraging thoughts, #1000gifts, and interesting reads on Facebook and Twitter.
Wendy Briscoe says
My Dad was a Pastor of a small church, and growing up we had very little money. Back then, the Dukes of Hazzard came on and we would pop popcorn only on Friday Nights, and watch the Dukes. Also, my Mom would write notes in our napkins, and make faces on our brown paper sack lunches for school with an encouraging note. 🙂 Made us look forward to lunch time to hear from Mom. Dad often took us fishing, and during the Christmas Season we would visit a nursing home, and my sister and I would sing Christmas Carols to the residents. Nothing like celebrating Christ’s birth, than to see older folks BEAM at the “little girls” singing Christmas carols. 🙂
Chloe Anderson says
I drink everything out of wine glasses. Since I don’t drink alcohol, I now can use them EVERYDAY!
Michele says
Our family’s favorite holiday is September 19–Talk like a Pirate day. My hubby and I started celebrating it on our first full day of marriage; we were married on September 18. Now our daughter joins in and with every “Aaaaarrrrghhh, avast ye mateys!” we feel bonded together as a family. 😉
Crystal Paine says
I LOVE it!
Claire says
This post is great! I love the link to the kooky holidays … today is National Nude Day… still time to celebrate LOL! 😉
Asheritah says
hahaha…. perhaps in the privacy of my own shower. lol
Sarah says
This post is a treasure.
I love to celebrate little and big things, but we are also rather budget-conscious. These are really good, not cheese but rich-in-life-and-love ideas. Definitely pinning!
Lana says
The small things that we do everyday really make life special. We drink our juice out of beautiful small goblets that I purchased at a thrift store every morning at breakfast. We eat outside in our screen porch every time the weather allows. Many evenings we go outside to our porch swing around 8:30 PM and swing and watch the fireflies come out in the woods. We put up two strings of twinkle lights over our deck this summer so we plug those in and swing and talk before bed each night. On Tuesday nights we pack a picnic and take a board game to a nearby park. There are tables just steps from the lake shore and it is always cool there in the summer. Life is so short that at our age (50’s), we have realized that if we don’t just take the time to enjoy and do small pleasurable things now we never will. Thank you for this beautiful post!
Asheritah says
All such great ways to celebrate everyday miracles!
Zan says
Asheriath always has beautiful tips and her writing style is just amazing!
Asheritah says
Oh Zan, you’re so sweet! Thank you for your encouraging words!
Jennifer says
I love this post! I have an 18 month old boy and his five week old little brother and sometimes my days as a SAHM are crazy! Remembering to celebrate all the little things is so worth it and what great ideas on how to do it!
The Frugal Exerciser says
I’m getting my eating under control after all these summer events, so I’m planning on buying a pedicure via Groupon next week. I will celebrate following my to do list for the past week by having a picnic by the beach. I need to do small pats on the back because I really don’t do enough. BTW, this was all planned after reading your article.
Crystal Paine says
I love it! Thanks for sharing!
Asheritah says
Hurray! It’s all about celebrating the small things as we move toward our big dreams. Thanks for sharing!
Alyson says
My husband and I celebrate every 3rd of the month, too! It started because our first date was Oct. 3rd, and then we celebrated one month of dating, two months of dating, etc. We made sure to get married on the 3rd, so that we could continue the tradition. Some of the different “dates” we’ve had included the gender ultrasound for our first baby and the birth of our second baby.
Asheritah says
Alyson, that’s so neat! We also made sure to get married on the 3rd so we can continue the celebration. Here’s a letter I wrote to my husband on our fourth anniversary where I talk about how much this marriage celebration means: http://onethingalone.com/48-months-letter-husband/