A lot of the holiday merriment in my house includes hastily
invented time honored traditions. Or at least they were 7 years ago when my
twins were born. Now, they’ve become so ingrained, we too believe they were
handed down for generations. But what do we do when we can’t follow our most
beloved traditions?
A friend of mine, SA, married an Indian man. One of his
family traditions is that a new bride comes to the family home and cooks a meal
shortly after the wedding for the family. Yes, I raised a judgmental eyebrow
too when I first heard it. Well SA doesn’t cook. When the tradition was first
introduced in the family, it was an era when multiple generations lived in one
house. The kitchen was the domain of the women. By requiring a new daughter in
law to cook a meal shortly after the wedding, it was the family’s way of
relinquishing the kitchen to her so she’d feel comfortable in the home.
Now SA and her husband did not plan to live with her inlaws,
and making a stop at the family home required an air flight and a two day delay
in their honeymoon. Yet, the family was
insistent that they wanted to continue this tradition. So after much discussion
and negotiation, her mother in law suggested that she would make the meal, and
SA would come stir the pot and add the garnishes. If you are face palming, I
don’t blame you.
At the end of this experience, SA was glad she did it. While
she felt silly just stirring the pot and then helping serve a meal her mother
in law had cooked, it allowed her to get to know her husband’s family without
the stress of the wedding festivities.
They had meaningful bonding time. When she left, she experienced what
new brides in her husband’s family had for generations; acceptance. She told me
that in order to keep important traditions alive, we need to be able to edit
them.
So this holiday season, I’m editing an important family
tradition of ours. Each year on Black Friday, my family and I go cut down our Christmas
tree at a local farm. It’s a little back breaking to haul and setup a 8ft fresh
tree and last week my husband herniated a disc in his back and needed to have
surgery. This means no fresh cut tree for us this year. We need to go buy an
artificial one. When I told my seven year old, he was quite upset. Not even the
promise of an extra present to make up for it would quell his tears. “What do
you mean we won’t have a fresh tree,” he said. “Artificial trees are not the same,
they don’t drop needles” To me, the best part of this tradition is decorating
the tree together. But to him, it’s all about selecting and cutting it down as
a family. I’m not sure how I’ll edit this tradition for our circumstance this
year. Maybe a much smaller tree. One a seven year old can lug.
So in advance of the thanksgiving holiday next week, tell
me, what traditions do you edit, or wish
you could edit? Comment to let me know.
And don’t forget to check out the wonderful line up of November and December
Heartwarmings. I love
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Ooooh, I like the idea of a small tree he lugs or puts on a sled. I wish I could edit out all the Christmas flyers! I recognizes that many businesses depend on this time of year to realize a profit but man, the temptations!
ReplyDeleteOh those mailbox cluttering flyers! I'm with you on that one.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be wonderful of you to let your son select a small tree that he can cut down. Then again, it might be starting a new tradition for him. LOL When my first daughter was born right before Christmas, we bought a small silver tree and placed her first ornament on it. When second daughter came along we did the same. For each we added a new ornament every year until the tree no longer could support said ornaments. My dh liked the tradition so much he did the same for each of our 5 grands. I still buy everyone an ornament for their trees which have gotten bigger and bigger. Last year one daughter said: you can stop with the ornaments. We all discussed it and agreed it's time to end. While I'm much relieved, I'm also sad and think if dh were still alive he'd still buy an ornament each.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tradition. I can see your point about how it can be tedious to maintain them but bittersweet to give them up.
DeleteI am so sorry your husband hurt his back! Our family has a lot of back issues, so I understand his pain. But I also understand wanting a real tree....Our family insists on that every year...even the year I bought a $150 fake tree because I was tired of the mess. I hope you find a good compromise! And I love the idea of editing traditions.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteWhat about an artificial tree big enough to decorate with aplomb, and then a small live one that you could plant together in spring? Keep the circle going...
ReplyDeleteAlas, the idea of a big artificial tree was still met with tears and "how about a big real tree?"
DeleteI love the idea of the small real one...and a big artificial one. I like trees a lot. Since all of our kids and one granddaughter are married, all traditions are edited by additions to the family. It just makes things richer--and louder.
ReplyDeleteHear Hear!
DeleteI know it will all work out. I bought an artificial tree for the first time last year, and it was so much easier and neater. I may have to get a real wreath, though, just for that wonderful smell. Say, maybe your son could gather evergreens outdoors and you could make a wreath together. Have a wonderful Christmas.
ReplyDelete