My dad grew up in a very strict Catholic home. Mass on Sundays, the sign of the cross at every meal- my grandparents even have a series of numbers and letters in chalk above different doors in their house that signify religious meanings unknown to me. Tradition was important not only for their religion, but for their family dynamic. As a kid, the time of year that I most looked forward to was the month between Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Day. The home I was raised in was a mix of my parent’s upbringing. My dad had family traditions for everything, and my mom’s family went to Texas Roadhouse on Christmas Eve, followed by midnight mass at Immaculate Conception. The customs I’m going to focus on will be traditions passed down through my dad’s …show more content…
For every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we watch a movie outside around a fire and make s’mores. This is a tradition that, as I got older, I began including my friends in, and for the past few years it has been understood that when it’s a Saturday night in December, there are about 20 people at the William’s house drinking hot chocolate, laying in hammocks in the 40 degree weather, and watching classics like Elf or Miracle on 34th …show more content…
While we eat we tell stories of our favorite Christmas memories, or talk about the best gift we’ve ever gotten. My aunt and uncle would tell me stories when I was a kid about how my dad would look around the house for his presents and one time he found them and ended up being disappointed on Christmas morning because the surprise was ruined. Out of all of our traditions, Christmas Eve with my grandparents was my favorite. Following dinner, we’d go into the living room and I would read the Christmas story about Jesus’ birth from my grandma’s mom’s bible. At the end of the chapter, when Jesus is born and the scripture talks about him lying in a manger, my little sister Kate would place the small baby Jesus figurine into the nativity my grandparent’s have had for years. After that we would pray for our family and thank the Lord for the year we’ve had and the year to come, and how blessed we were to have the family that we have. We’d all open one gift from my grandparents after praying. This was always the most special gift they’d picked out for us- last year my grandpa had an embosser made for me that said “From the library of Alexandra” inscribed on it because I have such a large book collection. Once we’d opened our gifts, my dad would pull out old home movies that we’d watch until we’d all pile in our cars and drive around town looking at christmas lights and singing christmas carols.
When the great holiday of Thanksgiving comes to mind, most people think of becoming total gluttons and gorging themselves with a seemingly unending amount of food. Others might think of the time spent with family and friends. The whole basis of the holiday is family togetherness, fellowship, and thankfulness for blessings received during the previous year.
No fruitful information On the edge of winter comes November, re-introducing early evenings, brisk air and leafless trees but, before the dormancy of winter settles in, the annual compensation of Thanksgiving brings families and friends together to celebrate life with food. Common on most tables, turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie fill our stomachs and warm our hearts. Each Thanksgiving brings about the recognition of a year’s worth of changes and last Thanksgiving is no exception.
I am warmed in the morning with the lingering spices from the kitchen as I begin to work up my appetite. I walk downstairs to the cornucopia baskets and thanksgiving wreaths that bring the lively autumn scene. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday time together with my family because it is the one time out of the year in which my entire family from all over the country comes together, to giving a feeling of unity. I walk into the kitchen to a smile from my mom as she reminds me to wash my hands. It is not time to eat yet, but just as every other year, she hands me the fresh green beans to help her prepare the last dish, the green been casserole. The dish often does not hold significance to many but depicts a symbol of unity as I reflect on the times with my family. For some, a casserole can date back to mark a period of struggle in American history, but the idea of a
On my dad’s side, we have a tradition that every Thanksgiving, my cousins from Wisconsin come down, and my cousins from Princeton come down and on Thanksgiving day, we always have an event where we hang out for the morning, then in the afternoon, we have a big Thanksgiving dinner (for lunch), and then we have a big nap time for everybody. We usually have all the regular Thanksgiving meal like mashed potatoes and stuffing and turkey with gravy. After that, we all come into the living room and we open all our Christmas presents from each other! It is a tradition to go in order from Oldest cousin to Youngest cousin. Also, for every family, it’s a tradition to get present for each family. So my family would two present for both of my Aunt’s and
My family had many memorable holiday and birthday celebrations that are still valued by me as I age and move up in life. Before my parents decided to divorce we used to cook all day and night on Christmas Eve and when we finally decided to sleep, or my parents decided, we would wake up at 4:30 in the morning to open presents. I believe that custom is still with me to this day because I still wake up at 4:30 in the morning on Christmas Day. I think that customs depend on the emotional connection. My family would sit around the living room and laugh, talk, and reminisce about different times in their lives. We used to have a big celebration for birthdays and would invite everyone. It was always a personal affair that we would cook for and dance and just have a great time with family and close friends. It was a beautiful thing and it was extremely enjoyable. I cherish those moments with my family and I plan to have those customs and also to add my own customs into my own family one day in the
Thanksgiving with my family is a four day event, it is big but still simple all in one. Our Thanksgiving should be recorded and played right after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. It takes a compobus amount of effort and time to put together a good African american thanksgiving. First you have to think about the people you are going to invite, of course you invite the immediate family, then you have to think about the family friends that you want to invite. Because you bring invite all of them, then we would have a house full. Once you get your invitation list right, you have to start thinking about what type of food you are going to make. However, you have to take into consideration of the food allergies and preferences that people have. Once
Yet in America actual change begins for the family when they take part in Thanksgiving a American holiday. The narrator's relative comments on the turkey shows what his feelings on Thanksgiving are about. “DRY”, Tio Berto complained and proceeded to drown the lean slices with pork fat drippings and cranberry jelly- “esa mierda roja”, he called it.”( Stanza V) The relative cannot understand the thanksgiving holiday so he tried to put something that he was familiar with the pork fat drippings to help him ease into it. Just like in Elders at the Falls the relative is defending his culture even though his struggling to deal with a new culture over lapping his own.
The first family tradition I want to talk about relates to the fact that I'm half Moroccan.
I just cannot believe it is almost Christmas time already. I could not be more ecstatic! Christmas is the best holiday for me and my family. My husband has three children Christian, Ethan, and Kayla. All three of the children live with us, as the biological mother is not involved. I raise them just like they are my own. Christian is the oldest child, and Kayla is the youngest child in the family. Christmas has always been a huge deal in my family, with the tree, the lights, and the music. We enjoy listening to Christmas music while engaging in the Christmas spirit. For us, the three most cherished joys of Christmas are putting up the tall luscious green Christmas tree, driving through the beaming display of Christmas lights, and the best part
One would be the source of finding your family identity. Family identity is very important to have. Everyone should have that sense of knowing who and where they came from. By doing so this allows you to share the history with your love ones and have that understanding of why your tradition is epic to your family. Tradition is like sharing that family bond. It brings people close together as a hold and as a family. In the article Creating a Positive Family Culture: The Importance of Establishing Family Traditions states “Traditions provide an all-too-rare chance for face-to-face interaction, help family members get to know and trust each other more intimately, and create a bond that comes from feeling that one is part of something unique and special”. (Mckay, 2013). Tradition has a lot of meaning behind it and families trust in that
We spend the day baking cookies, making fudge and preparing a big Christmas dinner, with all the trimmings. The children love to see each other. They spend the day playing games and sharing their new gifts and toys that Santa Claus brought for each of them. They get so eager to decorate, that it is hard to restrain them.Decorating for Christmas is so much fun. My father always draws a new background scenery, for the Nativity scene, that he displays, every year. He, my brother-in-laws and my husband start with the decorations for the outside of the house and the front yard.
Christmastime was always a magical time of year for me. The beautifully decorated shopping malls, with toys everywhere you looked, always fascinated me. And the houses, with the way their lights would glow upon the glistening snow at night, always seemed to calm me. But decorating the Christmas tree and falling asleep underneath the warm glow of the lights, in awe that Santa Claus would soon be there, was the best part of it all. As a child, these things enchanted me. Sure, the presents were great, but the excitement and mystery of Christmas; I loved most of all. Believing…that’s what it was all about. Believing there really was a Santa and waking up Christmas morning, realizing he’d come, as my sleepy eyes focused on all the fancily wrapped presents before me.
Bishop Desmond Tutu wrote a knowledgeable statement about families, “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” (Tutu, 1986) With that being said, every family has its own unique traditions, values and beliefs. My family’s values are very broad starting from church and going to education. We believe in only drinking moderately and respecting elders. Our traditions go from cooking food and celebrating the holidays, to learning how to swim. The traditions, values and beliefs of my family may have come from very saddening family history pattern, but they have created very well adjusted offspring.
Tradition plays an immense role in people’s lives, and has been among us ever since we can remember. The tradition’s role has helped us remember the importance of family and the bonds it creates. It that has been around for centuries such as the ones commonly known as Christmas, Halloween, thanksgiving and many more. My tradition called O.D.E.M. was created in 2007 by my family. We are the first generation to begin this tradition within our family and with world. My O.D.E.M. tradition began in 2007, today’s tradition has changed, and I have the hopes of passing it on to my future children.
Ever since I could remember, I have spent Christmas at my grandmother’s house, a house which is full of comfort, warmth, and happiness. At Christmas, I have always been able to escape the cold and dark real world allowing myself to truly enjoy just several moments in time. These moments have left impressionable memories from my childhood making Christmas a holiday that is special to me and my family. It is a time for my family to get together, share stories, laugh, and even cry.