Traditions

People like the comfort of having good, reliable traditions in their lives. This is especially evident around holidays. A lot of families have their regular routines where they prepare the same food and serve a big holiday meal at approximately the same time of day on a given holiday. I’ve noticed that people rarely go very far from these routines. Some people feel uncomfortable when finding out that a favorite food will be absent from the meal or that gifts will be opened on a different day. A whole family might be hurt or offended if one of the members announces that she is not going to be joining the group for an annual ritual. On one hand, people are very content having consistent patterns on which to depend. On the other hand, why do we fear trying something different from the usual customs? If it’s just for one year and then back to the common tradition, what’s the harm? Certainly there are many individuals and families who do not adhere to their customs as strictly as I’m describing. Why not toss some variety into the foods served at the traditional meal? Perhaps even try decorating the house differently or invent a new family tradition and see what people think of it? There are no set rules saying that a holiday, wedding, reunion, etc. has to contain particular elements to be correct. There are endless ways to celebrate a gathering of friends and family. I hope you enjoy your traditions!