Loading tweets...According to dictionary.com, tradition is explained as this:
Tradition [truh-dish-uhn] –noun
1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.
2. something that is handed down: the traditions of the Eskimos.
3. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.
4. a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.
Now, I don’t have any beef with tradition really, but more so the people that pull the “we have to do it this way, because it’s tradition” card, without really embracing the true meanings behind things.
For example, when Jen and I got married, we kept going to my folks’ house for Christmas morning, due to tradition. The tradition is that mom cooks a gigantic breakfast where we all (and I mean ALL of us) sit and converse, engage and enjoy a seldom-had moment of old family time before the assault on Christmas wrapping begins. We don’t do this because “it’s tradition;” we do it because of the ideas behind it, mainly grabbing a rare moment with everyone back together at the house. That’s why I go home for Christmas; the presents are merely a bonus.
So I challenge you; the next time that you’re eager to do something because “it’s tradition,” I want to you really think of the beliefs and values associated with that tradition and see if that’s the reason you’re really doing it.
Because if it’s not, maybe it’s time to start your own tradition. One you believe in.
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Molly
December 27, 2010 at 8:17 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Amen Jon, Amen! Our Thanksgiving tradition for at least the past 20 years has been that Mom cooks dinner & we all go there. Last year, Mom & Dad decided to take part in someone else’s tradition & go up north for Thanksgiving. It wasn’t a quick or easy decision, but they did it. I was all for it, give Mom a break, etc. What we didn’t realize is that my older brother is quite a softy – and he’d much rather have 2 Thanksgivings instead of Thanksgiving & Christmas. He’s not much for tradition, but Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday. After many, many…MANY…humorous jabs for the entire year since Thanksgiving 2009, it’s pretty well understood that Mom & Dad won’t be going away for Thanksgiving again! (Sean has joked around several times that they wouldn’t be here for Christmas, that maybe they’ll just go up north – talk about a guilt trip!) Honestly though, if they hadn’t taken the trip, we would have missed out on two things – Mom got a much-needed & well-deserved break, and we wouldn’t have realized that we were taking Thanksgiving with Mom & Dad for granted. Hell, I’m such a baby that I thought it would be awesome to drive up north & surprise them by having dinner with them. In my mind, it was all about surprising Mom & Dad for dinner…..but in reality, I was too chicken to face Thanksgiving without them.
Molly Flannery Gannon
December 27, 2010 at 8:18 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ve missed your blogging!! Thanks for sharing!
Courtney Phelps
December 27, 2010 at 10:39 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I like these thoughts. It’s easy to get stuck in the “rut” of traditions, and forget that traditions change over time, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Jonathan Moody
December 29, 2010 at 10:44 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Courtney, you’re absolutely right. I was talking to my mom about that, and how the tradition of spending Thanksgiving with all of my step-dad’s family changed this year, and will ultimately change next year with the addition of three babies to the family (and no, Jen’s not having triplets).
Courtney Phelps
December 29, 2010 at 12:20 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
For the past couple of years, my parents have been spending Thanksgiving with some friends of theirs, and Scott and I have been doing dinner here at home, instead of running around to everyone else’s houses. Christmas still involves traipsing all over the place, but I appreciate your insight into how family traditions change, and how the “family” itself changes.