As a foster family, you may have children placed with you who come from a variety of cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Celebrating holidays and traditions with sensitivity and inclusion is an important part of making these children feel welcomed and valued. Here are some tips for celebrating multicultural holidays joyfully as a foster family.
1. Learn About the Child’s Background
The first step is to learn about each foster child’s cultural, ethnic, and religious background. Talk to the child’s caseworker from your agency, such as Active Care Solutions, and do your own research to find out about the traditions, holidays, foods, and practices that hold meaning for them. Don’t make assumptions – let the child share what is important to them.
2. Ask How the Child Usually Celebrates
Once you understand a bit about their background, ask the foster child how they usually celebrate special days and what traditions hold significance. Be open to learning new customs and incorporating them into your holiday celebrations. Accommodate their practices as much as possible.
3. Involve the Child’s Community
Connect with people from the child’s cultural, ethnic or religious community. Ask if they are willing to participate in holiday celebrations with your family. This could include joining in meals, rituals, or faith services. It is a great way for the child to maintain a sense of belonging.
4. Modify Family Traditions
Consider small ways your family’s holiday traditions could be adapted to be more inclusive. For example, add new foods to the Christmas dinner menu, sing songs in multiple languages, or learn holiday greetings from different cultures.
5. Celebrate Multiple Perspectives
Help all members of the family learn to appreciate and celebrate diverse holiday perspectives. Encourage open dialogues about both the commonalities and differences between cultural traditions.
6. Create New Fusions
Blending cultural traditions can create wonderful new fusions. Try decorating the Christmas tree with decorations representing multiple cultures. Fuse foods from different backgrounds into innovative hybrid holiday dishes. Find ways to honour and celebrate every member of the family.
7. Focus on Universal Meanings
While specific holiday rituals may vary, try to focus on the universal human values and meanings behind them. Holidays are ultimately about concepts like love, family, giving, faith, light, and hope. Celebrate the ideals that unite us across cultures.
8. Avoid Stereotyping or Exoticizing
Be sensitive not to stereotype or treat cultural practices as exotic curiosities. Engage with authenticity and respect. Avoid caricatures or token representations of other cultures.
9. Make Holidays Child-Centred
Adapt your holiday plans based on the needs and desires of each child. Don’t force them to participate in activities if they cause discomfort. Provide alternatives to accommodate different perspectives.
Celebrating multicultural holidays requires openness, flexibility and creativity. Honour the diversity within your foster family while still creating a sense of belonging for all. With sensitivity and inclusion, you can craft holiday traditions that are respectful, educational and joyful for everyone. The rewards will be foster children who feel valued and accepted for who they are.
