a tradition only for you

                                                 

With the holidays fast approaching, I find it apropos to talk about traditions.  After all, the holidays center around traditions, however big or small, however simple or grand.  I love asking people about their traditions and am always surprised to learn about ones I have never heard of before.  I also like to see the joy and hopeful anticipation in peoples' eyes as they share their favorite holiday traditions and memories.  It connects me to a world I feel less a part of each year that passes.  I ask my co-workers, hair stylist, dentist, grocery store clerk and bank cashier, to name a few.  Some of the recent responses range from buying Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas Eve and putting on the comfy cozies while settling in to a night of comfort food and Christmas movies to making homemade ornaments and taking hot cocoa on the road in their pajamas while marveling at holiday light displays.  Every time a person shares their traditions with me, it forces me to reflect on my own.  I vowed when I became a mom that my holidays would be laden with traditions, consistently celebrated every year.  I had hopes and dreams that these traditions would give my children the security and joy they deserve each holiday season.  But looking back, I realize that I put a lot of pressure on myself to search for the perfect tradition and find the gold standard of what I should do versus what I actually felt most comfortable doing.  I introduced making our own ornaments, gingerbread houses and paper chains.  I have several advent calendars and don't get me started on cookie baking and decorating, caroling, salvation army bell ringing, to name a few.  Ice skating, sledding, present wrapping, the Holidazzle parade, visiting grandpa and grandma and those traditions there.  Whew! I am tired just thinking of it.  What I have learned from all of my efforts and mostly just from listening to how others celebrate, is that any tradition is most valuable because it is yours.  Not what it is, but only that you thought of it and you decided that it worked best for you and your loved ones. It can be the most basic, simple and free tradition you can think of. All that matters is that it is yours and you get to share it with those you hold dear.
My wish for you this holiday season is that you find one tradition you can enjoy with those you love.  Be creative and do what works for you.  It's not a time to compare your traditions to others and worry that you are missing out.  Whatever you do, embrace it as yours and be proud of that.

Here's wishing you a season filled with hope and contentment and a tradition all your own.

Gracie's Mom