Traditions are the Hallmark of Holidays

The other day, my middle daughter overheard me talking to my aunt on the phone about when we were going to do "Baking Day" this year.

"Why are we baking on Sunday?" she asked.

"Because it's a holiday tradition," I replied.

"What's tradition?"

"It's something you do every year and you look forward to it."

She looked at me oddly. "Why do you like Christmas?" I asked her.

"We go see Santa, we get presents, Cake [Cake is our elf on the shelf] visits us..."

"Right! Those things happen every year and you look forward to them. Every year we bake with Crazy Aunt Judi and Nana and my cousins."

"Oh! Can I have something to eat?" Squirrel! For the record, my aunt isn't really crazy... it's just something one of my daughter's started calling her after she was teasing one of them and it stuck. Now everyone calls her Crazy Aunt Judi and generations from now when stories are told, our future generations are probably going to assume she really was crazy!

Just sitting down to write this took me down memory lane to my childhood and our family traditions. I  loved setting up the train track under the tree and playing with my Smurf's and the train. I loved how when we stuck our tree topper (A Santa with wings... Santa Angel??) on my dad would yell, "YOW!" really loud. I do this in my own home now and the first year I did it, I didn't warn Jim and he almost fell off the stool (whoops!).

Holiday traditions can really be huge things or really small details that only you really look forward to. Regardless, it's what makes the holiday so special and magical. It helps remember people who are no longer with us and cherish the memories you are making with those around you. What are your favorite holiday traditions?

Have a very special holiday from our family to yours! Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy New Year!