Traditions are important.
They give you a sense of continuity.
You have a memory of something done in the past and an experience to
look forward to in the future. They can give a sense of comfort and in many
cases bring family and friends together. And they can give you time to reflect
on what is important to you and others. And at this time of year, traditions
seem especially meaningful.
Everyone has traditions where holidays are concerned. I always have turkey and pumpkin pie for
Thanksgiving. I watch the Macy’s Parade and the movie Holiday Inn with Bing
Crosby. To me the holiday wouldn’t be
the same without those items. At
Christmas I decorate my house, even though I rarely have visitors. I do it for me (or maybe I should say I
overdo it for me). There are certain
movies I watch during the season and I usually have an Advent calendar to open
up each day. It gives the holiday more
meaning to me and connects me to Christmas of the past and family who are no
longer with me.
A lot of holiday traditions involve creativity. Decorating the tree. Making holiday cookies and candy. Creating gifts for loved ones (I always
remember the pajamas my grandmother used to make for my brothers, cousins and
myself.) Every year since I was a teenager I have made
an ornament to give family and friends.
It was something I looked forward to and something others enjoy
receiving. Only one year did I skip the
ornament making. It was the year my
mother died and that Christmas was difficult.
I didn’t think I would enjoy making the ornament knowing my mother
wouldn’t receive one. I regret not doing
that now. I think it might have helped me with some continuity in a holiday
that had changed so much without my mother.
Many families have traditions that involve creativity. I bet lots of you make Christmas cookies and
candy each year. You probably look
forward to it and do it as a group. It gives you a chance to spend time with
loved ones (especially if there are grandchildren involved) and share part of yourself
as you serve the cookies at dinner or holiday parties.
You might have some holiday performance you attend. For the past 3 years I have gone to the local
performance of the Nutcracker that our Junior College puts on. I look forward to it and make an evening out
of it with a dinner to a favorite restaurant.
You might attend a church concert or even a city Christmas parade or a
school pageant where your child or grandchild is performing.
Traditions of any kind can be important to a person or a
family. They may bring you together once
a year and allow you to connect with what is important. And even if the tradition is just yours and
you don’t share it with others, it gives you a chance to do something special
and meaningful. I usually go alone to
the Nutcracker but it is something I end up sharing with others when I talk
about it. I feel good supporting the
ballet in our area and showing all the young dancers how much I appreciate
their work with my attendance and applause.
Traditions have a way of creating memories every time you
participate. Think of all the memories
you have as a child or of your children having a picture taken with Santa Claus
or of going out to pick a Christmas tree or going caroling in your
neighborhood.
And being able to participate in the same thing year after
year gives a little predictability to our lives in this very unpredictable
world.
Make sure you create some traditions for your holidays or
for your every days as well. It will
show you and others what is important in your life and give you a chance to
celebrate those special days.
©2019 Cheryl E. Fillion
