What do you remember most vividly from your childhood? Chances are its not the big trips to Disney World or the expensive toys that you got for Christmas; most people remember the small moments, and since there are far more small moments than big ones, opportunity abounds to create beautiful, lasting memories. One of these is your own family movie night. How can you start a tradition that turns into a treasured memory?

When is the best time for a movie night? Most families aim for Friday or Saturday so children can stay up a little later than usual, and so they dont have to worry about homework. If you are trying to establish a movie night with teenagers good luck! You may have better luck trying an alternative night. Tweens and teens often use the weekend to hang out with friends, and forcing them to enjoy family movie night could backfire on you. If this is your situation, try a Tuesday or make it a once a month family extravaganza.

During the week, ask your child(ren) if there is a movie that hes been wanting to see. When your children are young, you will have to sit through your share of G movies, but many of todays childrens movies are partly aimed at their parents, too, so you can find movies that work for all of you. Try 3D movies, like Gnomeo and Juliet or Shrek Forever After 3D. Put the movie on your Netflix queue, order in On Demand, or do it the old-fashioned way by going to your neighborhood video rental store.

Family movie night is only partly about the movie; it is much more about spending quality time together. The goal is to make it fun, not a chore. A comfortable atmosphere is a must. Bring in the bean bags, or let your children set up their sleeping bags and pillows on the floor. Bring your sleeping bag, too, and join them. Kids, especially younger children, will really enjoy that youre as into movie night as they are.

During the rest of the week, you may not allow eating in the living room or in front of the television good rule! But part of making family movie night stand out is making it different, more like a party. Order a pizza or your favorite takeout and enjoy it while watching the movie. This reduces dinner preparation and cleanup stress and gives everyone in the family a treat.

Snacks are also a great way to create a fun, festive atmosphere. If you dont want your children (or yourself!) to snack the whole way through the movie, have an intermission. Stop the movie, let everyone stretch and go to the bathroom. You can set out some quick, easy snacks, like air popped popcorn, chips or veggies and dip, fruit, fruit or Jell-o cups, or another favorite treat. Your kids can have a snack and get back to the movie. Or you can set out a basket of movie candy filled with the usual suspects like Junior Mints, Sour Patch Kids, etc.

There are endless variations on family movie night so you can find the right formula for your particular family. If you would all rather play Wii, have a Wii family night. If you want to allow each of your children to invite a friend, do it. If you want to have a theme, fine. If you want to eat ice cream before your pizza, go ahead. Once a week, it is not only ok to break your rules, it is terrific for your family.

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Written by BarbaraKnowles

Barbara Knowles is a mom that has hosted family game night on Thursdays in her house for years. She shares all of her parenting tips, party planning ideas and favorite recipes at http://www.aagiftsandbaskets.com/ where she writes posts about once a month.