The Practice of Family Traditions

When I think of family traditions I think of large gatherings at holidays and the sharing of meals with the same prepared dishes year after year. I think of grandmother's fine china and the passed down baptismal gown that each new family member wears at his or her Christening, and I think of cultural heritage given from one generation to the next. Although one person's family traditions can be very different from another person's , the one common denominator is that through the participation and inheritance of tradition, a person's identity is shaped and memories are formed. Those memories and attached feelings are what spur on the passing down of tradition from one generation to the next and is what makes up the rich fabric of our society.

The word tradition in essence could conjure up something formal but in reality, any kind of together time spent with family that is meaningful and practiced on a regular basis can be the make-up of tradition. It can be family meals together, bed time rituals such as story reading and nightly prayers, trips to the store to purchase new school supplies and more. The wonderful thing about tradition is that it doesn't really matter when it begins or what it entails. A tradition could be hundreds of years old, or it could be newly begun. It could center on making a special pasta dish for Christmas Eve dinner based on an old family recipe, or it could center on a  weekly family movie and dinner night. Again, the important thing is that whatever the tradition,it is meaningful time spent with family or friends that begs to be repeated again and again.

This past Christmas, Howie received a karaoke machine from the girls. Howie is one tough customer to purchase gifts for, not because he is picky, but because he really never wants anything at all. In recent years, I have taken to purchasing him gifts in which he can participate in some fun activity with the girls.

In my gift buying for Howie, I have also inadvertently begun new traditions for our family. The karaoke machine has been a big hit and we have all enjoyed singing to our hearts content on a regular basis. We even have plans to include it as an enhancement in other family traditions such as for birthday celebrations and other fun get togethers.

Family traditions are always a wonderful ways in which to build relationship and memories with loved ones whether they are traditions that have been passed down for generations or ones that have just been begun.

What are some of your favorite family traditions? How have you added to your family's traditions over the years? The other wonderful thing about tradition is sharing them with others.