For many families, the best thing about the holidays isn’t the lavish gifts, it’s the traditions they have made together. And while old customs won’t fade, families across the country are spicing up their holiday celebrations with new traditions this year.

Here are four ideas for new food traditions you can start this holiday season:

• Serve food from other cultures: Try adding a cultural dish to your holiday feast. Danish roast goose, Hungarian chicken paprikash, Jewish latkes, Irish oyster stew, or Grecian leg of lamb are all traditional meals that could invigorate your holiday spread. For dessert, try Italian sweet cakes or Australian Pavlova, a meringue-like treat.
• New take on an old favorite: Lots of families have traditional holiday favorites that they break out once a year. For many, that dessert is the moist, sweet cake panettone. Many are ready to eat and loaded with a variety of raisins, candied fruits and chocolate chips. Extremely versatile, panettone can add a new twist to classic recipes. Some recipes include using panettone to make croutons for fresh arugula and roasted fruit salad or substituting Panettone in a bread pudding with amaretto sauce.
• Plan a cookie exchange: Have everyone in your family bake one type of cookie and bring them to the festivities – one dozen cookies each for larger groups and two dozen for smaller ones. You’ll have a variety of delicious cookies for dessert, while only having to bake one type yourself. This is an easy and surefire way to please your family’s sweet tooth.
• Cook with the kids: The days leading up to the holidays are a great time to bond with your kids. One of the best ways to do that is to get them involved in the cooking process. Have your children pick a few recipes they can help you with. Make extra for friends, neighbors and the less fortunate and deliver them with your kids to spread some good cheer.

Try something new in the kitchen this holiday season. Sometimes the traditions you start on your own are the best of all.