Why You Should Create Your Own Holiday Traditions

4. Feel free to start small. You may want to experiment with the traditions you want to create; don't feel like you have to give the whole day a makeover right away. Add a side dish to change the menu, take two hours to volunteer, spend one less day with your parents but still visit with them. Small changes can lead you to bigger ones.

5. Finally, recognize that other people in your family may not want the same changes you do—and that's okay. For many people the consistency of traditions is part of what make them special. They hold tightly to traditions even if they don't particularly care for them. Remember: you have choices, you own your time, and compromise can be your friend.

More from YourTango: Parenting Lessons From Kirk Cameron's Anti-Gay Comment

The most important thing to remember is that how you spend your holidays is a reflection of what you believe in and will surely be passed on to future generations. Take what you want, leave the rest and feel free to experiment. Through that process you'll find out what traditions you want to carry on and share with the ones you love.