On Traditions...

I've been doing a lot of thinking about traditions lately. Maybe you'll disagree with me and maybe I'll change my mind in a few minutes, but the way I see it, traditions are just for the kids. I'm having a hard time finding a way to explain this, so be patient with me.

Thanksgiving was exhausting. I helped out in the kitchen way more than I ever had helped in previous years. Up at 5:00 am and the cooking and the dish washing and the cooking and the dish washing and the eating then more dish washing. (I'm not complaining by any means, I enjoyed myself thoroughly in the kitchen, this is solely just an observation.) It's hard to enjoy the company of family, friends, and the holiday itself when stuck in the kitchen. And I realized, this is what my mom does every year. For Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I guess she does it for her kids and her kids' kids, because it's tradition.

I have the best memories of Christmas as a child and am sure that's why I still enjoy the Holiday season so much today. Now, when I think about Christmases long ago, I realize how much work it must have been for the adults. But again, I'm guessing they did it all for the kids.

So, like I said, I've been thinking about traditions. I guess I've been trying to come up with new traditions because it seems like our old traditions are disappearing, but really our traditions are still around, I'm just older and seeing things from a different point of view. It's my turn to step up and make sure Vance has the same great memories as I did at Christmastime. I'm still looking for new ideas though. Something new I'd like to start is to read The Night Before Christmas to the kids before going to bed on Christmas Eve. So, there's another idea to those also looking for new traditions.

2 Responses to “On Traditions...”

Anonymous2:34 PM
I don't know what tags are so I will just write. I thought about traditions and until I got into this crazy family I don't think I had any. No cookie making, no brandy alexanders with Uncle Bob falling in the play pen from too much scotch at Al's. Those Christmas Eve partties where everyone spent the night were nuts. I remember Santa even coming to all the guest. No youngest to oldest opening presents. We would get up on Christmas morning after Mass and open our presents in no patricular order. There was just the three of us. Then we might go to some relatives or not.

Now I don't know what I would do without tradition, although, it sometimes wears me out. I will be wearing a name tag this Christmas Eve that says "Clark" now that Dee has informed me we are having Christmas Eve at our house, however, chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit. What a enormous magnifier is tradition! How a thing grows in the human memory and in the human imagination, when love, worship, and all that lies in the human heart, is there to encourage it.

Chris is coming in and will be over Friday and we will celebrate that night and he will be going back Sunday to be home for Christmas. He is setting up his own traditions for Alisa and his family. They like to be at their home on Christmas day and this is good. We all need to have some of our own individual customs or habits unique to us.

Traditions reconciles us to everything. Tradition is tradition, and not to be thrown out of the window by anyone,but should be coaxed downstairs a step at a time. (I heard that somewhere).

Anyway, I'm rambling now. All I can say is what a family I've fallen into. I couldn't be any luckier.

Remember: I am He, As You are Me, and We are All Together!
Anonymous7:30 PM
i read your posting about traditions. it's always nice when we hear our children rembers fondly what we as mothers tried to create for special occasions. and yes i said mothers because it was all us mothers. dads weren't as involved as they are today. wrong or right it just was. they were too busy earning livings for all of us. that's why there good grandads...jeff will be the best. he knows now what he missed. that's what makes grandkids special. they're our "do-overs". i can't wait.

holidays are tons of work and some of us are wearing out and turning over the reins. i remember when my mom did it and i didn't understand why she didn't want to continue. i understand now. it's the circle of life, now is the time for you kids to build new traditions as well as carry on some of the old ones if you choose. leggs brunch, canned green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, jellow molds, etc. those recipes aren't as great on their own, they're great because mom and aunts made them for us. you'll find your own without even trying too hard. you will because you love your children and you want them to be happy. so we get up at 5, cook, wash dishes, cook, wash dishes........
love
aunt babe