Day 93: Honoring Traditions
'Tis the season of traditions. Every family holds certain elements of holidays as special traditions in which they participate in each year. Some go back for generations and some were recently started with the hopes of seeing them carried into the future. No matter what the traditions are, they're unique to every family, they hold an important place in our celebrations.
There is something about holidays that spurs on memories of the past and remembrances of things that happened long ago. Maybe it is because of this we participate in traditions. We romanticize the past and practice things we participated in long ago in order to bring those memories closer to the present.
Traditions allow us to celebrate the past while enjoying the present. They often come around every year with new chances to become even more special. Think of some of the traditions your family participates in, how long do they stretch back? Some go back for generations and are completely timeless.
No matter how recently these traditions were made, there is something so magical about them. Especially the traditions we have around Christmas time. This time of year is so special and the traditions we have during this time can be so important to making it feel like Christmas.
My family really tries to focus on spending time together as well as the real reason for the season. On Christmas Eve we attended our church's Christmas Eve service before returning home for a fancy dinner consisting of seafood, especially crab legs. After dinner we exchange gifts from each other and get ready for bed.
The next morning my sister and I, who are both adults, still get up early and wake our parents to open present from Santa. Even after all these years I look forward to opening present from Santa Clause and feeling that rush when I come down the stairs in the early morning to find presents laid out under the tree. Christmas day is filled with relaxed couch time and many, many movies. That night we start binge watching Downton Abbey, a newer tradition we have been participating in for five Christmas's now.
These little things all make up the making of Christmas. Traditions have a way of bringing the past to the present moment and allow us to honor all the years that have come before. Because we are able to have traditions, we are able to string together similar memories throughout years of our lives. What are you traditions?
Until Next Time,
Lillian Merritt