Here is a great family celebration idea based on the concept of Dr. Martin Seligman’s “Beautiful Day.” This family celebration will give your family the opportunity to spend a fun day together, celebrate one another’s strengths, and honor someone who has contributed to your family success. It does take a little planning, but even the planning can be fun.

First, sit down and:

1.   List the activities that each family member enjoys.

2.   List each family member’s favorite foods. Consider where these two lists overlap and where they differ.

3.   List each family member’s strengths. Make special note of how these individual strengths fit in with the activities and foods discussed earlier.

Second, reflect on the people who have contributed to your family’s success. This may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors…anybody who has had a positive influence in your family’s life. Have fun remembering the stories associated with each of the people who come to mind. For your Beautiful Family Day, pick one person who has contributed to your family success and you would like to thank. As a family, compose a short (no more than 300 words) testimonial to that person telling them what they have meant to your family. Include 1-2 examples of how they have contributed to your family in a positive way and thank them for that contribution. After you have written this testimonial, move to the next step.

Third, design your Beautiful Family Day. Consider what you will eat (pick something from each person’s favorites food list), what you will do (pick something from each person’s favorite activities list), and when you will begin. As you plan, include at least three things. Include a way for each family member to use one of their strengths in contributing to the day. Perhaps one person enjoys cooking and can cook a special dish for the family. One person may enjoy music and could perform a song for the family. You get the idea. Also include time to visit the person for whom you wrote the testimonial. Perhaps you can meet them for coffee or invite them to your home for dessert. Plan to present the testimonial to them (perhaps read it to them) and prepare a copy for them to keep. Finally, include at least one activity that will benefit someone outside your family. You might “Run for the Cure,” sing for 30-minutes at a nursing home, take a child you know on one of your activities, or buy a gift for a shut-in while you’re out. Use your imagination to think of what you might do to benefit someone outside your family.

Fourth, enjoy your Beautiful Family Day. I know it will be a busy day. You will have a pretty full schedule. You may even decide to break it up into two or three days over the summer. Either way, when the day ends you will have wonderful memories of a Beautiful Family Day, memories that will give you a lifetime of joy!