Family Traditions

For as long as I can remember I have lived for tradition! I am not big on change and like things that are predictable and comfortable :) Christmas would not be Christmas without my entire family watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, a rowdy Christmas Eve party, a hunt for the Christmas Pickle and a big pancake breakfast. With Thanksgiving comes an early morning run, tuning into watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and eating my grandmother's delicious Jello mold! I like to spend every Memorial and Labor Day weekend at the lake playing Bocce, Yahtzee and going for a dill pickle at the Country Store. Many of these traditions have been in place since I was a small child and they are all so important to me.

Even though Z is young I am already trying to instill some traditions that will stay in place for his childhood (and if he is anything like me, the rest of his life). Many of the traditions are things that S and I have taken from our childhood (marching up the stairs to bed, S playing his guitar for Z, Easter egg hunts on the farm etc.) and many we are putting into place for the first time. I think it is so important for children to grow up in a home that is filled with tradition. Of course it is important to be flexible (something which I am getting better at with age) but I believe that traditions help to build a strong family structure and create wonderful memories.