Most of us have at least one. Some of us have several.
Traditions are sacred and time honored ~ life just isn’t the same without them.
Pizza night, picking out a Christmas tree, first day of school photos, carving a pumpkin, vacationing at the same spot, or lighting the advent wreath during the weeks before Christmas are but a few.
One of my favorite traditions was on Christmas Eve when my children were young. After spending the morning baking and decorating Christmas sugar cookies, wrapping last minute Christmas gifts, and attending the Christmas Eve service at church my three excited children would head upstairs to bed. They usually wound up in one of their rooms either all in the bed together or on the floor on a pallet they constructed with blankets and pillows. They would laugh, giggle and talk in loud whisper voices for what seemed like hours. All of a sudden there would be an abrupt silence when one of them would claim to hear the sound of jingle bells or a thump on the roof. After they finally fell asleep Santa would make his arrival. Oh how I long to hear the sound of those sweet voices again….and how blessed and thankful that I did!
Another one of my favorite traditions happens every year at the school where I teach. On the last of school all of the teachers stand outside and wave goodbye to the students as the buses pull away. The students happily look forward to it and so do the teachers. I have done this for 31 years and you would think it would be old hat, but I still tear up and get a lump in my throat as I wave goodbye for the summer to those sweet, smiling faces. In May of 2020 I will enjoy this tradition one final time ~ I can only imagine the emotions I will feel that final day as I wave goodbye not only to my students, but to one of my life’s passions!
From exchanging valentines in February, to hunting Easter eggs in the spring, watching fireworks in July, apple picking in the fall, touch football on Thanksgiving, to watching classic Christmas movies these annual traditions connect us to the past as well as to each other. As the years go by, our children grow up or loved ones pass away. Traditions end and new ones are (hopefully) created. I hope that you plan some fun family traditions, for they will become the memories that will warm the hearts of you and your loved ones for years to come!
What are some of your favorite traditions?
Savoring Sixty and Beyond 
Me again I have nominated you for this 💜
https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/2019/12/20/thank-you-for-recthe-bloggerognition-award/
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You are so kind, thank you for the nomination! Merry Christmas!
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A pleasure and a Merry Christmas to you too💜
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I love traditions and still carry a few from generations before me. One is that Santa brings apples and oranges-a lot of them! I used to wake to the smell of fruit on Christmas morning at my grandparents! My mother continued that act-and I always have as well!
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Memories are so wonderful and what a nice tradition!
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Many of our traditions revolve around the ethnic foods my mother made. Kiffels and gugglehuf (spelling?) and on and on. Always ham and potato salad for Christmas because it was forgiving. Hard to pry kids away to eat. Also we made pastries together with mom yelling that I was doing it wrong! 🙂 Too much sprinkles! Not enough sprinkles! Roll it too thin or too thick! Gosh, I wish she was here to yell at me again.
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I know what you mean….wouldn’t it be great to hear those precious voices again? I love that your traditions revolve around ethnic foods! I bet they taste fabulous!
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They do but doing them the old fashioned way is work.
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Sorry yes as I was saying it always hard to retire. But you will get used to it.
Like you I do love traditions at Christmas too. 💜
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As always thanks so much for taking the time to read my posts! 💙
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I really enjoy them 💜
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Lovely post , it’s always hard
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I have a lot of the same traditions you do, but waving to students is not one of them. I admire teachers greatly, but I wouldn’t be one for anything.
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I love the traditions you shared! My favorite tradition was when we visited my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve. We had dinner then opened presents. We’d rush home and open presents from Mom and Dad while eating the cookies mom had baked all day. Falling asleep before midnight was almost impossible!
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