Meg Cox, author of  The Book of New Family Traditions (Running Press, 2012), points out that New Year's traditions cut both ways, allowing parents to have fun while creating some meaningful traditions. "You can have a really happy, jump-up-and-down-and-make-a-lot-of-noise time but you can also, within that same holiday, have a time for quiet reflection on how you've evolved in a year."

With that in mind, we asked some Chicago area families for their ideas on creating rituals and traditions that spark memories and enthusiasm.