Traditions

This morning as I was sitting, cuddled in an afghan, I started thinking about Thanksgiving. That led me to thinking about Christmas. And that led me to thinking about traditions.

Traditions. We all have them. Some of us love them. Some of us think they're not necessary. I think that might be a generational thing though.  I happen to think traditions are a celebration of our family and the lives of the ones who came before us.

The idea of passing something down to a generation makes me smile. It's as if you're bestowing some treasure on a young one. It makes me smile when I think about the traditions that were passed down to me. And more importantly how I react to them not happening when I think they should (ie. someone changing the plans and thus the tradition doesn't happen).

Then life happens. And some of your family traditions change because the person who the tradition was about or with is no longer with us. This saddens me greatly.

Case in point, the tradition of the DadUnit and I shopping for the MomUnit's Christmas gift on Christmas Eve. It all started one year when the DadUnit delayed buying her gift and called me with a "fun day".  Traditionally, we'd go to lunch then shop for the MomUnit and then the DadUnit would buy me a special gift. Over the years this day became very important to me. The DadUnit and I rarely spent any alone time together and this was a chance for us to recharge our relationship and spend some quality father/daughter time.  I miss him every Christmas.

One year, the DadUnit wanted to go shopping on the 23rd. I threw the biggest hissy fit because it wasn't the tradition. He got mighty angry at me calling me spoiled and a bunch of other comments.  I held strong though. I can be stubborn if I want (stop rolling your eyes).  Then when we did go on the 24th, the store he wanted to buy the MomUnit's gift from was closed. DOH! But to the DadUnit's credit he never said, "SEEEE! Had we gone when I wanted to go..."

There's also those traditions I created in my life. Granted they aren't going to be passed down, per se, but they're my traditions all the same.

My favorite Jenn Tradition is putting up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.

See having my birthday right after Christmas means the tree comes down on the 26th. So really the tree is only up for a month. I'm certainly not one of those houses that keep the tree up through January.

This year I have a new tree. Mrs. Braspir and I headed to Costco yesterday so I could see the trees and if I wanted to spend the $$ to buy one. She had one last year and I just loved it. And she was already going to Costco so I just joined the fun.  That and there was no WAY the tree box would fit in Sparky.

I found one. And it's a beauty. I cannot wait to put it up. (and I'm sure the demons are saying, "We cannot wait to bring it down.") You'll have to wait for pictures.

I digress.

Almost all the traditions appear to be around holidays, at the moment I can't even think of any that aren't. I love traditions...all kinds.

What about you? What are your favorite family traditions?