Inspiring New Family Holiday Traditions

This quote by the ever so wise Dr. Seuss is one of my favorites! For me, the holidays represents a time to show those we care about that we are thinking of them. And this can be done with a handwritten holiday card, a present that you thought would be just right for them or spending time together. It really isn’t about how much money you spend but more the thought that goes into letting them know you are thinking of them!

Spending quality time together really is what it is all about don’t you think?! What are some family traditions in your home? We really love family movie night, buffet-style dinners (taco-Tuesday is always big), and game night.

Family Traditions: Bonding Over Dancing

We recently had a chance to try out the Just Dance 2016 dance game. I like buying gifts that brings the family together and we are big goofballs when it comes to dancing around in our living room so this is the perfect game for us! And talk about good exercise! But it is the kind of exercise that you don’t mind because you are having so much fun. The game features over 40 top hits and quirky favorites including Meghan Trainor’s All About That Bass, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way and One Direction No Control.

There’s a song for everyone in the entire family to get moving and grooving after holiday dinner! You can even personalize your Just Dance workouts with Sweat mode! The calorie counter helps you keep track of the calorie burned.

You choose your Avatar at the beginning of the game and get ready to boogie. We selected Meghan Trainor’s All About that Bass and it soon turned into a competition to see who would win the crown. You will see a crown above the dancer’s picture who has the leading score. You get points for following the dancer’s moves.

My daughter started out strong but I caught up after getting the hang of it. You just follow along the dancer’s moves like looking into a mirror.

It was really fun and if your family is competitive at all you will definitely be trying to win the bragging rights of the golden crown! My daughter didn’t want me to post this picture because she didn’t win. I tell you, it gets competitive around here!

My husband got in on the fun when we played I Got A Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas. Each song has a different dancer and this song featured a cute panda who had some serious dance movies! It took a lot for me to keep up but I was determined to beat my husband. You can see that Happy (me) didn’t quite keep up with Jazzy (Kate) and Crazy (my husband). Again, you are constantly told how well you are doing and following the dancers moves. At least I have an excuse this time, I was taking the picture!

Connect with other dancers worldwide!

One of the really cool features is the World Dance Floor which allows you to challenge players from all around the world using the Just Dance’s online multiplayer mode. The Just Dance Controller App allows players on new-gen consoles (Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or Wii U) to use their smartphone to track their moves and navigate through the game. No peripherals or added console cameras are needed to enjoy Just Dance 2016 on new-gen!

Just Dance 2016 is a great way to get the family together and have some serious (silly) fun! It is now available for all motion-control gaming platforms, including Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U and Wii. You can check out the game here. You can download the Just Dance Controller App on iTunes, Google Play and Windows Store.

After Dance Party Ice Cream Bar

And after your dance party why not enjoy a DIY ice cream sandwich bar? Ice cream is great anytime of the year and would be a fun new holiday tradition.

Or make some of your favorite holiday cookies and place them out on a cake stand.

If you would like to make a cookie sandwich bar you will need:

Dozen (each person will get two so buy accordingly) of your favorite cookies. We picked some freshly-baked at our local grocery store – they make great homemade cookies

Favorite ice cream

holiday or rainbow sprinkles

Directions: Place a large scoop of ice cream between two cookies. Roll the sides in the sprinkles or nuts of choice. That’s it! If you want to make some for later, just wrap them in saran wrap and put in the freezer. These make a great holiday treat for neighbors!

Have fun this holiday season with your crew and enjoy the new Just Dance game. I promise you’ll burn off some calories which you can then reward yourself with an ice cream sandwich!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.