What is your most cherished family tradition?

We have a specific birthday activity for each member of our family. We take a long motorcycle ride on my husband’s birthday, see a Shakespeare play on mine, attend an October apple festival for a cousin’s, and so on. By marking our significant days with an event, we take the focus off gifts and have something we all look forward to every year.

This tip comes from Real Simple reader Sharyn Willers Tahoe City, California