What can you do for your marriage in the new year? Try making a New Year’s resolution to improve your relationship. Here are some ideas to get started:

• “Adopt” a patron saint for the coming year to intercede for you and your family. Throughout the year, read a biography about him or her, attend Mass together on the saint’s feast day, and find litanies, novenas, and other prayers to pray together.

• Make a “spiritual New Year’s resolution” together. Choose one thing to stick to through this year as a family: monthly Confession, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, First Friday Adoration, etc. For some suggestions on praying as a family, check out this article.

• Take turns selecting a favorite Scripture passage to pray about each week. Share your reflections with each other.

• If you don’t already eat dinner together as a family, try to commit to one night (or more) each week to eat together.

• Draw up your household budget together. Discuss spending priorities, including charitable donations.

• Set up a prayer intention board in a common space in your home. Pray together each night for one another’s intentions.

• Start saving up for a vacation later in the year, or even a “staycation”. Start planning now to take time off of work to devote to your spouse and kids. It needn’t be extravagant to foster quality time and relaxation.

• Is there anything that is causing strain in your marriage? Lack of communication, long job hours, technology dependence, unforgiven hurts? Take time in the new year to make concrete steps toward reconciliation and growth.

• Resolve to do a weekly act of love or service for your spouse – a hidden sacrifice, a little surprise, an unprompted chore, or an errand.

• Schedule several “Date Nights” for each month of the year.

• Resolve to read at least one book on how to strengthen your relationship. Unsure where to start? Browse through the archived book reviews.

• While it’s important to strengthen the marriage relationship, marriage is also a sacrament of service. It’s true that marriage benefits the couple, but it’s also good for their family, community, and the Church. Resolve to do at least one service activity this year, as a family or a couple. Perhaps it’s bringing canned goods to the local food pantry on a regular basis or helping out with a parish fundraising project.