There’s nothing unusual at all about a man and his kids spending the holidays together without mom. It’s a special time where father and child can create new traditions and reinvent seasonal fun with “man style.” A bit of imagination and a flexible approach should have the young guns feeling cheery as ever and have you feeling every bit like the best dad in the world.

1. Lumberjack Jr.:  It’s not the womenfolk’s fault that they get cold easily and aren’t overly apt to be excited about trudging through snowfields with heavy tools in tow. They are correct that it probably makes more sense to go to a tree yard and pick a tree from the rows of perfectly pre-cut pines laid out in a nice sheltered area. But men and kids don’t necessarily prefer “sense” when they see an opportunity for adventure. Go get a tree the way you’re great grandfather would have done it: with some warm clothes, a map, and a big axe.  

Before you go lumbering onto private property or protected land, here are a few resources to keep the crew out of trouble:

• U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Christmas Tree Cutting Information
• State Directory of Christmas Tree Farms and more
• National Christmas Tree Association Christmas Tree Farm Directory

1. Cooking Up a Storm:  Even if the man of the house likes to cook, during the busy holiday season when there’s a lot to be done around the house and in the cold outdoors, the woman is often the one in the kitchen manning the stove and teaching the kids holiday recipes. Now with the opportunity for you to do all of the cooking, think of a few simple family recipes and infuse the holiday meal with some group fun. The kids will love helping out in the kitchen by learning something new, and by explaining the heritage of the recipes you can raise the feelings of belonging to a family tradition. If possible, having Grandma or Grandpa around to lend a hand and explain some family stories of their own can be a great addition. If you can’t think of a recipe, try one of these kid friendly holiday recipes from none other than the king of good times, Disney FamilyFun.
2. Ice Cold Enjoyment:  Chances are you love your yard just as much as their mother would, but chances are you’re also not as worried about mucking it up since you know how capable you are of getting it back in shape come spring. Confident in your skills, you’re now free to set-up a new winter time tradition that will keep the kids entertained and provide loads of memories in the process: a homemade ice rink in the back yard. The BackyardIceRink.com contains some good tools and tips to get you started. Or you might opt for a more turn-key solution. Who knows, what starts off as fun family tradition just might be the place where the next Lemieux or Gretzky is born.

If the projects above are too big to take on, take a few tips from DadCentric.com on creating some winter fun and games outdoors.

What are some of the family traditions you enjoyed as a kid? Leave a comment and let us know. Happy holidays!

TIP: Use WD-40_® Multi-Use Product to keep moisture from rusting your axe blade after cutting down that Christmas tree. It’s great at removing tree sap, too.