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Enjoy Your Family Day

Today, in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, Canadians are observing a statutory holiday known as “Family Day”. Alberta was the first to observe the third Monday in February as a holiday back in 1990. Neighbouring Saskatchewan finally followed suit in 2007, with Ontario jumping on board in 2008.

With an extra day off work to spend time with your family, we’d like to take the opportunity today to remind you of some of the fun and inexpensive ways that you can make the most our of your day. As Carolyn McTigue wrote in her special to QMI Agency last week, there are tons of fun things you can do for free.

Sledding is her first suggestion. For Canadians, making the most out of the winter weather is a common practice. This, of course, is a great time for the kids and naturally doesn’t cost a penny. McTigue notes that even the sleds themselves don’t have to cost you anything. “Try using garbage bags, cardboard, and other household items to see which slides the farthest,” she writes.

For those looking to stay in from the cold to enjoy the day off school or work, you may want to try your hand at baking. Everything from chocolate chip cookies to a holiday cake would be fun to create. As well, getting the kids involved in something that they can learn from and be proud is always a good way to spend the day. Check out Allrecipes.com, suggests McTigue.

How about making a movie? Grab a video camera and have everyone in the family work together on coming up with a funny script. Your house is bound to have a variety of props and costumes that can be used for this unique activity. Then again, if you would prefer to keep things more relaxed, reading a book with your kids is always an ideal choice.

The age-old board game may be a good decision as well. For the most part, kids today would prefer to be in front of a computer or television playing video games. Keeping in mind that the spirit of today’s holiday is to spend more time with family, it is the perfect opportunity to show your family that you can all have fun together.

Perhaps, McTigue’s best suggestion is to write a letter. Sure, we can all e-mail and chat online everyday. But taking the time to connect with family members who you do not see regularly may be the most rewarding way to spend Family Day this year. Reach out to those loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you. It’s the perfect day to do it.

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