Traditions

I am a huge fan of tradition. I believe it is an important part of family dynamics and a way of holding family together during difficult times. It doesn’t matter what the tradition is or when it is celebrated; if it is something that is done on a regular or yearly basis it is a tradition.

Take tonight for example. It is October 31…Halloween. What types of traditions does your family have to celebrate this occasion? It is probably one that has been around for centuries in one form or another: Trick or Treating, carving the pumpkin, giving out special candy to special goblins.

The little boy next door doesn’t much care for going door to door to strangers houses, but he loves to sit out in front of his house handing the candy out. So every year that is where you will find him and now his little sister; sitting in a lawn chairs next to their mother who is also in costume handing out candy. This has become their tradition.

Years ago when we were first married we started a Christmas tradition of cutting our own Christmas tree. When the children finally started arriving we continued this tradition with children and dogs in tow. We started a tradition that first year of marriage between the two of us and carried it over for our children. Now that they are grown they do the same with their spouses. Only now they pay for the tree!

We all get together the first Sunday in December, load up the cars with dogs, saws, and humans and go to the Christmas tree farm and cut down a tree that after a couple hours of looking find a tree that is either crooked or has branches going every which way. The criteria for the tree is that it must be one of a kind, at least 6 ft tall, and one that no one else would want. We do not want perfect, and believe me we have never gotten close to that! After the tree is cut we stop at the same A&W Rootbeer stand to have lunch.

Another tradition is one I have spoken of before and that is the annual cookie baking Sunday. Two of the kids have taken over the chore of baking cookies (I am no longer allowed to help) and the other two decorate the tree that was cut down the week before. This year we have the added pleasure of our new daughter in law helping.

Our last and most important Christmas tradition is the giving of gifts. All of our children have homes of their own and live close by for which I am very thankful. My daughter is married as is one son, but on Christmas Eve all of the kids bring their gifts over to our house and place them under the tree. They then leave to have Christmas Eve dinner with the in-laws. But bright and early Christmas morning they are all here again to open their presents at our house. It has become another tradition. The cooking of the Christmas meal, the setting of the table, even to the cleaning of the table have all become traditions. It is a time of fun and being together.

Isn’t that what the holidays should be about?

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Nancy has worked online as an Affiliate Marketer for eight years. Her newest website www.simply-cookbooks.com shares her love of cooking with her readers. For crafting ideas visit www.creativecrafting4-1-1.com

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