♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly... ♫
Christmas carols are on the radio, December is here!
Which means Christmas is around the corner.
How fitting that on the first of December,
we get our first snowfall of the season.
The anticipation of a White Christmas is uplifting.
In our family, we have many November birthdays
so we usually wait until December to start to prepare for Christmas.
We first start by putting up our Christmas tree and decorating it.
This has been a tradition since I was a child.
A more recent tradition is having an Advent calendar.
24 little boxes filled with treats to help countdown the days to Christmas.
Building gingerbread houses, making ornaments are festive activities
that have also become a tradition for the holidays.
Do you ever wonder why we do certain traditions or why they exist?
What is tradition and why is it important?
The dictionary defines it as
"the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation."
Traditions can be a big celebration across the globe
like welcoming in the new year
or small and intimate observed within a family.
For us, it is important to have family traditions because of its many benefits.
A family tradition is something that is planned far in advance
that each family member ensure to make time
for these activities to spend time with their loved ones.
My favourite tradition is celebrating on Christmas Eve with my big family
aunts, uncles, cousins and friends turned family.
A huge gathering with lots of food, games
and gift giving at the stroke of midnight.
Traditions like these give family members a chance to reconnect,
share special experiences, thus creating memories.
By spending that time together,
family traditions build a stronger bond with its members
creating unity and providing a sense of belonging.
We believe this is an important aspect for children
as they learn about their heritage and values being passed down.
The feeling of happiness when sharing these experiences shows them
why family is important and what is important to their family.
It's also a great way to teach them about family history
and why we have certain customs and cultural beliefs
so that they are aware of its purpose and meaning.
When the experience is positive they not only look forward
to it every year, they will want to contribute
which I believe will help build their self confidence
Young or old, tradition is the glue
that holds the structure of the family together.
It is the sanctuary to members who may have lost their way.
Because it celebrates your heritage, you learn about your roots,
your roots define your values and who you are.
So when all else fails,
turn to your traditions and you will find your way home.
It's never too late to start a tradition.
After all, every tradition has to start somewhere.
Let us know your favorite family tradition by commenting down below.
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