Traditions

More Than Memories: The Importance of Traditions
by Allison M. Woods 

What is it about traditions and especially those associated with a holiday that make them so important to us? Our family Christmas traditions have become something of a legend to those who know us. Although our three sons have long outgrown any belief in Santa Claus, they still expect us to observe every ritual our family has ever instituted! They want to hang the stockings that Grandma made for them by the fireplace. We still wrestle with putting the tree together after Thanksgiving (we have several years of videotape to prove it, and each tape looks almost identical to the other ones). I am still expected to make the same type of cookies each year. I can make other kinds if I choose; but there had better be the red and green swirl cookies and the raisin cookies on the counter by the time everyone arrives home for Christmas break. The list goes on and on!