the story of tradition

When I was growing up, our family's holiday traditions looked quite different from those of my friends. Our December revolved around lighting a menorah, eating latkes, & spinning dreidels. My friends used to express how jealous they were of me. "You get to open presents for 8 days?!!" they would enviously proclaim. But little did they know, I spent my childhood jealous of THEM and their special traditions instead. Especially their Christmas trees trimmed with sparkles, twinkles, and radiance.  I'd visit a friend's house and simply stare in awe and wonderment at their tree, standing tall and proud in their family room.  I was mesmerized by this symbol of family, faith, and love on prominent display in their home. I'd walk around and inspect each special bauble hung with care on it's branches. Each one unique. Each with a story or special meaning. I'd spend time asking where each one came from and what made it so special. 

Fast forward 20 years where I've married into a blended family who is now crafting our own special holiday traditions. It came as no surprise to my husband that during our very first holiday season together,  I insisted that we go out and purchase a tree with all the trimmings. During that same year, our "Annual Ornament Hunt" was born.  As a family we take time to reflect on the year that's unfolded and we choose an ornament for our tree that represents the path we've traveled together. A way to package up our year's history into one beautiful, tiny hanging symbol. 

2004: The brick building with the glowing light in the window from the year we bought our first home together.

2006: The letter 'Y' studded with diamonds from the year we were married. 

2009: The little white angel from the year we needed to embrace the memory of our Bella, our first daughter, stillborn at 20 weeks pregnant.

2010:  The pink newborn bundle from the year we welcomed our now 15 month daughter Brielle and celebrated her entering this world healthy, happy, and inquisitive. 

Our tree is the timeline of our life and our family. Our beginnings. Our celebrations. Our challenges. Our suffering. Our moments. Our joy. To us, that tree is an annual symbol of peace, beauty, reflection and renewal. It's our story documented and on display as we conclude another year together.

Do your holiday traditions have a story to tell? What special ways do you make holiday magic with your family?

Image and words courtesy of Guest Blogger Beryl Ayn Young. For more information about her transformative and healing work, visit the Illuminate blog.

Comments

[Ana Eugenio]

I live with my mom and since middle November we're having a Christmas meal at lunch (we don't eat much in the evening) and I've been posting, sharing, little moments from those days. today is Christmas day here in our home. and it's our tradition to make the spirit last longer. I actually have been antecipating each Thursday as if it was Christmas Eve for real. love that thrill :)

here is last week party: http://www.anasofiaeugenio.com/2011/12/xmas-rehearsal.html

xxo

[Kat]

It is so wonderful to read this! I grew up not celebrating Christmas, and our tree is the same. There is something so wonderful about having that annual reminder of our history as we unwrap the ornaments. I told the story on my blog here: http://kateyestudio.com/2010/12/buon-natale.html

The only problem these days - our tree is no longer big enough for all of the ornaments!

[Shawna]

I love having a tree too!

Every time we travel together my husband and I get an ornament or something that can be converted into an ornament for our tree. Every year when we unwrap the ornaments we get a kick out of strolling down far-flung memory lanes.

[Heather]

We always had a tree and when I was little it was a freshly cut one, but now we do a little tabletop tree and we have so many ornaments, cause we like to make or buy new ones, that it looks different every year, cause we just rotate which ones we use. This year my daughter picked out all the ones she likes best and I really love how she decorated it. It's a very colorful happy tree.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/heather-cox/6407192309/in/photostream/

[Libertad Leal]

Loved reading this post. What a beautiful tradition, finding an ornament to represent your year. I am Venezuelan so I did not grow up with a tree. However, I have lived here in the States for almost 15 years and I now feel that having a fresh cut tree is such a part of my life, I can't imagine a Christmas without it. I also make an effort to keep the traditions of my homeland alive so as we decorate the tree we listen to typical Venezuelan Christmas music and we set up a nativity set as it is traditional there. A little bit from here, a little bit from there :) I actually took a picture of my daughters and I doing just this :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/libertadleal/6460516607

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[Spyros Heniadis]

That is a lovely tradition. I never understood the yearly holiday ornament until reading this. The strongest tradition my family had was actually new year's morning, we'd have Greek donuts, a fried donut with honey and walnuts, and my mom would put a silver dime in the batter, and whoever got the dime was supposed to have good luck for the whole year.

I miss those donuts...

[Sarah B.]

We also do the yearly ornament. In 2008 we got a bride and groom to celebrate our wedding from the year. 2009 we got a house, because we were going to close on our house in a week and finally have our own space. 2010, I was pregnant so we got an ornament of a couple of bears, the girl bear pregnant, trimming their tree and this year 2011, we've chosen two adult snowmen, cuddling their baby snowman with the words "Proud New Parents". We also started our tradition of getting our children (only one so far) an ornament of their own each year that says something about them.

Another tradition that we have is the girls in my extended family decorate most of the house while all the men and boys go out and pick out the perfect trees together.

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[Helios Binoculars]

Hi...
thanks for sharing this informatin.There is something so wonderful about having that annual reminder of our history as we unwrap the ornaments.Every time we travel together my husband and I get an ornament or something that can be converted into an ornament for our tree. Every year when we unwrap the ornaments we get a kick out of strolling down far-flung memory lanes.I’ve long understand any web logs anymore due to the fact too a lot of weblogs were either boring or not present. Or at worst, both. Right here it can be unique, the website is thrilling and informative. Thank god you will discover even now this kind of sites on the net.thanks