Sorry y'all...I didn't make a post on here last night. I was just worn out. I'd started off having such a good week. The house was clean, things were in order, but by last night all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with Ella Rose and not move. :) Obviously, I couldn't do that completely, but I certainly would have liked to have done so. So...I'm still working on getting that pumpkin spice roll baked. I did manage to make another batch of apple sauce, searched for the children's story "The First Apple Dumpling" to no avail, and fix supper, do a load of laundry, get things ready for today...etc...etc...etc...
But in the midst of this, I got a phone call from one of my parents. Momma
called to give me the telephone number for the Bed and Breakfast Inn that we stay in for Thanksgiving. Growing up y'all, Easter and Thanksgiving were my all time favorite holidays. I found myself literally bouncing inside myself waiting for them. We had such cool traditions. The family all came together, and worked toward a similar goal. The focus throughout these holidays was and is about so much more than the commercialization that occurs more frequently for other holidays.
However, I find that I am at a crossroads in my life and it's strange to be here in my 30s. After all, I've been an adult for many years now, but I've still thoroughly enjoyed these holidays as much if more than I did as a child. But, now I find that it's all changing. I'm not sure why my family has begun to change these traditions right around the time that I had my first child. It can't be that they decided to change them because my sister and I are grown and have children because my baby-sister has had children for 10+ years now.
I don't think it's because I live in a different town than my childhood family, because I've done that for almost fifteen years. So I have no idea what the impetus for these changes is, but nonetheless there must be one, because two years ago my parents announced they'd no longer host their annual Easter egg hunt and brunch. I was heartbroken. I conjoled, I begged, I cried, I pleaded, I bargained and tried everything that I could to convince them to continue the tradition. I wanted my daughter to have the same joy for this holiday that I did, and see how such hard work and family togetherness working toward a common goal (not just immediate family either) could provide as much for those working as those receiving the rewards of the work. But alas, none of my efforts produced the desired result. My parents cancelled their annual tradition, but offered to come to my house instead. And they did. Of course, the end of this visit was met with comments that they'd probably just take a cruise the following Easter and that my husband and I could continue the "family" tradition in my current town if we so desired.
All of this is coming to a head for me though, because just last night my Momma began to let go another family tradition. She informed me that they'd be arriving at the Bed and Breakfast the day of Thanksgiving instead of the night before. Now our annual tradition for T
hanksgiving is to travel across the country to my Great-Aunt's house for the Thanksgiving meal. When I was younger, almost all of my maternal relatives would gather and we'd celebrate this meal together. even though people had to travel from all over the country to do so.
But as my cousins have grown up, fewer and fewer people are valuing the family tradition and instead doing their "own thing" meaning that the gathering has shrunk substancially. However, my family has continued the annual pilgrimage. :) Another part of the tradition for my family
was to awaken Thanksgiving morning, eat breakfast together at the B&B and then gather in a room and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, together. Obviously, that won't be occuring this year.
And so I find myself at a crossroads of sorts. I have no interest, and no intention of ceasing the pilgrimage to my great-Aunts. My husband, daughter and I are going to still arrive the day before Thanksgiving. We are going to try our best to help our daughter experience the best of the holiday traditions. I'm going to help my Great-Aunt finish preparing the food. Josh, Ella, and I will watch the parade together. We'll have breakfast and we'll carry on. But I can't help, but feel like even doing so I have a heavy heart.
And I can't help but wonder, what's wrong with our world, with our society when we allow day to day appointments and the chaos of the world to overcome our desires to invade our family time and traditions. I find myself pondering how to reverse this trend. Families
are supposed to matter. Our older generations have so much to give and share with the younger ones. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of family togetherness and well, thankfullness.
And I'll try to be thankful. I'm going to do my best to teach my daughter the values that I hold dear. I want her to know that family matters most and that we need to be there for them no matter what. I'm going to try to give her traditions that will mean as much to her and mine did/do to me.
So with that said, what holiday traditions does your family share that mean a lot to you?
But in the midst of this, I got a phone call from one of my parents. Momma
called to give me the telephone number for the Bed and Breakfast Inn that we stay in for Thanksgiving. Growing up y'all, Easter and Thanksgiving were my all time favorite holidays. I found myself literally bouncing inside myself waiting for them. We had such cool traditions. The family all came together, and worked toward a similar goal. The focus throughout these holidays was and is about so much more than the commercialization that occurs more frequently for other holidays.
However, I find that I am at a crossroads in my life and it's strange to be here in my 30s. After all, I've been an adult for many years now, but I've still thoroughly enjoyed these holidays as much if more than I did as a child. But, now I find that it's all changing. I'm not sure why my family has begun to change these traditions right around the time that I had my first child. It can't be that they decided to change them because my sister and I are grown and have children because my baby-sister has had children for 10+ years now.I don't think it's because I live in a different town than my childhood family, because I've done that for almost fifteen years. So I have no idea what the impetus for these changes is, but nonetheless there must be one, because two years ago my parents announced they'd no longer host their annual Easter egg hunt and brunch. I was heartbroken. I conjoled, I begged, I cried, I pleaded, I bargained and tried everything that I could to convince them to continue the tradition. I wanted my daughter to have the same joy for this holiday that I did, and see how such hard work and family togetherness working toward a common goal (not just immediate family either) could provide as much for those working as those receiving the rewards of the work. But alas, none of my efforts produced the desired result. My parents cancelled their annual tradition, but offered to come to my house instead. And they did. Of course, the end of this visit was met with comments that they'd probably just take a cruise the following Easter and that my husband and I could continue the "family" tradition in my current town if we so desired.
All of this is coming to a head for me though, because just last night my Momma began to let go another family tradition. She informed me that they'd be arriving at the Bed and Breakfast the day of Thanksgiving instead of the night before. Now our annual tradition for T
hanksgiving is to travel across the country to my Great-Aunt's house for the Thanksgiving meal. When I was younger, almost all of my maternal relatives would gather and we'd celebrate this meal together. even though people had to travel from all over the country to do so.But as my cousins have grown up, fewer and fewer people are valuing the family tradition and instead doing their "own thing" meaning that the gathering has shrunk substancially. However, my family has continued the annual pilgrimage. :) Another part of the tradition for my family
was to awaken Thanksgiving morning, eat breakfast together at the B&B and then gather in a room and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, together. Obviously, that won't be occuring this year.And so I find myself at a crossroads of sorts. I have no interest, and no intention of ceasing the pilgrimage to my great-Aunts. My husband, daughter and I are going to still arrive the day before Thanksgiving. We are going to try our best to help our daughter experience the best of the holiday traditions. I'm going to help my Great-Aunt finish preparing the food. Josh, Ella, and I will watch the parade together. We'll have breakfast and we'll carry on. But I can't help, but feel like even doing so I have a heavy heart.
And I can't help but wonder, what's wrong with our world, with our society when we allow day to day appointments and the chaos of the world to overcome our desires to invade our family time and traditions. I find myself pondering how to reverse this trend. Families
are supposed to matter. Our older generations have so much to give and share with the younger ones. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of family togetherness and well, thankfullness.And I'll try to be thankful. I'm going to do my best to teach my daughter the values that I hold dear. I want her to know that family matters most and that we need to be there for them no matter what. I'm going to try to give her traditions that will mean as much to her and mine did/do to me.
So with that said, what holiday traditions does your family share that mean a lot to you?
1 comment:
Just wanted to let you know, I found a copy of the children's story, "The First Apple Dumpling" published as "Read Aloud Stories" in the Book of Knowledge. I have it as a .pdf file. I don't know how to post it to you, though.
Thank you,
Cynthia Lewis
cynthialewis7@yahoo.com
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