Traditions...old, new, family, etc. 30 October 2009

Traditions can be GREAT...and not so great!
When I was growing up, there are only a few traditions I can remember...or want to remember.
The first eight years of my life I lived in Hawaii. The women in the ward...incredible Hawaiian women/"sisters" would prepare things for the "annual" bazaar. I cam to appreciate Hawaiian applique quilts. Also, hand work such as embroidery, and such. I remember going to the guava fields, when I was small, with these "sisters" and picking guavas to be juiced for Ward Activities and dinners. Every year, for the Fourth of July, the ward would have a parade from the church to the beach. There were outrigger canoe races, fishing nets, roast pig (from the pits), and TONS of food. Then we would watch the fireworks explode from Flat Island and not only shine in the sky, BUT reflect in the water! This is one of my most precious memories!
As a child I don't remember hunting Easter eggs, or anything "Easterish". Christmas traditions were another thing. My dad would put the lights on the tree, my mom the ornaments, and then my dad would patiently hang the "OLD STYLE" foil tinsel. We made gingerbread men and sugar cookies. After decorating them, we delivered them to a few friends in those old sandwich bags made of wax paper! Mailed Christmas cards were opened when my dad got home from work every day. That way we read them together. The night before Christmas we got to pick one gift and open it. We also drove around and looked at the lights. We had Christmas stockings, but they were only for show. They were never filled with anything. A few of our Christmases were spent with relatives on the mainland. I don't remember doing Thanksgiving at all. As a child, I can remember dressing up for Halloween three times and going Trick or Treating. When I was five (a gypsy)...12 (a Hobo)...and 14 (an actress). We never carved pumpkins when I was growing up. I don't ever remember doing this. I rarely had a birthday party. I recall photos of one when I was three and five. I shared my fourth with my favorite cousin, who shares the same birthday. BUT we moved every year, and it was always right around my birthday, so...no festivities. I had a party when I was ten. Another when I was 12 and a family dinner when I was 16. Debbie and I have shared two since then. My kids have had a few parties for me! My 50th was AWESOME and every one since then has been GREAT!
We moved almost every year after that. Some traditions lingered, some disappeared, and new ones emerged.
I took a class at BYU Education Week in August of 2008. It was on Family Traditions and taught by V-Ann Ludlow. (http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/69214) What an incredible class. She told of how as a newlywed, she and her husband had MANY different ideas on traditions and what they were going to do and what they weren't going to do. How they had combined some traditions and how they have created new ones over the years. She was incredible. I took some of her ideas and have incorporated them in our family.
When I got married, Bruce had his idea of "traditions" and I mine.
For New Year's we ALWAYS watched the Rose Parade when I was growing up. That is a tradition I still do. I would love one day to see the floats in person!
On Valentine's day, the kids and I made Valentine's. We had a lot of fun creating cards for each other.
I have been known to make Groundhog day cards too...
We always have Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day. My dad's birthday was the 19th, and we also celebrated it too.
His family did Easter Egg hunts, so our children grew up hunting eggs...or baskets full of things and eggs. We spent many years going to California for Easter to be with Bruce's Grandmother (GRANNY) and the rest of his relatives. The same for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Birthdays were a BIG thing with our children. They had a whole week of birthday festivities! Birthdays were very special and we made them very special. I recently bought a "birthday" plate, which the birthday person will get to eat off of on their special day.
Fourth of July, we spent at the Silverbowl. Bruce was always doing the fireworks show that the City Firemen put on. The show was ALWAYS spectacular, and the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays.
Bruce came from a family where they carved pumpkins for Halloween, so...our children grew up carving pumpkins and still do; sometimes they each carve several . Costumes were a BIG thing too. Every year I seemed to create even more fantastic costumes than the last. I love to sew and costumes were elaborate and incredible! We still love to dress up, and sometimes do several parties, just so we can dress up several times!
Thanksgiving was never overlooked! We ALWAYS had food to feed hundreds. The feast was incredible and so good. We always said what we were thankful for too.
When the kids were older, we decided that going to California for Christmas, etc. was getting to be too much. We started our own tradition as a family. We did drive around and look at lights. Hondo Ct. was one of our favorites! It was absolutely incredible. We also had our Nativity story, using the scriptures and the Nativity set. They opened once gift. In the morning, their stockings were filled to the brim. They could open that first, if we weren't up yet, and eat whatever was in there, or play with whatever. After I found out that the kids opened ALL of their gifts while I had gone out, we started a NEW tradition. NONE of the gifts had their names on them. I would choose a movie, and pick characters from that movie to replace each of their names. It was fun and there wasn't so much of, "MINE are BIGGER" or "I have more that you" type of talk. We made tons of Christmas Candy and Cookies. The kids received a new Christmas ornament from their Grandma Griz each year.
New Year's Eve, came and went...I don't remember much of that. Usually fell asleep. In the last few years though I have gotten together with friends and played games...all of us in our pajamas! That's been fun.
All of these traditions have enriched our lives; yet there are others. At church we always have activities for various holidays...Easter, Pioneer Day, Fall/Halloween, Christmas, as well RS functions. Having moved so many times in my life, I have had the opportunity to experience MANY different activities for these special occasions.
I remember my first experience with the Chicken salad (with GRAPES) on a croissant! It seemed as though EVERY time there was an RS function, that was served!!! I always thought, "WHO PUTS GRAPES WITH CHICKEN AND THEN PUTS IT ON A CROISSANT?!?!?!?!?!" GADS!!! I hated it. Well, after 45 years, I can eat it! It's not that bad. Different, but not bad. There have been some AWESOME programs I have witnessed over the years through RS. Fall Socials, Spring Socials...and then the CRAFT day!
Each ward has brought new ideas for parties, and fun. We've had Road Shows! Those were fun. Plays, Talent Shows, and just plain zaniness!!! Each ward having something new and inventive. I am thankful for the variety over the years. Something new...something fun.
When we first went to St. Joseph, they had never heard of "ice blocking!" Now that is a tradition in their ward!
We've had Carnivals for Halloween. One year we did a lip sync thing where each auxiliary had a song they had to dress up for and lip sync. Songs like The Monster Mash, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Ghost Busters, Thriller, The Addams Family theme...were just a few of them.
They have an annual football game on Thanksgiving day...The TURKEY BOWL!!! The YM vs. the Elders Quorum and HP Group! (I wanted to say the Old Men, but I fall in to this age group!) It was a lot of fun and even though sometimes it was 32 degrees or less, they still played and had a LOT of fun! It was something the guys looked forward to each year.
We have done MANY a Christmas Pageant or play! Caroling, etc. Never the same thing twice in a row. This year in our ward, we are going to be doing something for others! I am excited and looking forward to giving.
One of the things our family did that was most special, was to pick 15 families and do a sort of "Christmas Surprise." Each night, for ten nights, we would deliver 15 "treats" anonymously to the families we picked out. Bobby would go to the door and quietly leave the "treats" and race back to the car! It was unbelievable fun!!! We picked one family in particular. The mother had cancer and it was her last Christmas. My children learned again the value of giving...
I love traditions...YET, I am also up for new things. I'm thankful for all of the incredible experiences I have had over the years, and look forward to new ones...as well as favorites.
This year we are doing something new for Thanksgiving. Mike and Katie are having it in their home. They have invited ALL the family members. I am looking forward to this new, exciting tradition!!!