There are many memories that I harbor within my mind from the past: turkey, my mom's famous cornbread dressing, sweet potato pie, gravy smothering creamy mashed potates, as well as my brothers watching football, while my mom and my sister and I looked through newspaper ads that showed toys Santa might bring.
Instead of focusing on the past, no matter how wonderful they are, for the past fourteen years, I have strived to create memories for my daughters to cherish when they have their own children one day.
I continue to make certain treats such as sweet potato pie, but our traditions include: putting up the Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving weekend and preparing our wish list for Santa. We also include ways to help the misfortunate such as donating to the Angel Tree or to food pantries. We also go to a Christmas tree farm to pick out our tree to decorate on the Sunday before we go back to work and school.
Although it's Thanksgiving, it creates a bridge between the holiday and the one to come: Christmas and the New Year.
It may sound very simplistic. There is nothing fancy or extravagant that makes our time together extraordinary except this: the warmth of a loving home with family surrounding us. My children will have the memories that they were cherished and loved. That is the ultimate Thanksgiving gift: Families are Forver.
Happy Thanksgiving and blessings to each of you.
A Fond Farewell
5 years ago
5 comments:
Traditions change with generations because each generation adopts and revises what they most liked and add new things. It's wonderful that you work so hard to create new memories for your daughters which they will share with and adapt for their children,
Thanks Joan! I'm still trying to incorporate a lot of what my parents passed on. I have such loving, warm memories of the holidays. My parents didn't have much material wise, but they made everything so special. I think that's what is lacking with our youth today: the feeling of warmth and tradition instead of the entitlement of material things. It's sad.
Tina,
Your holiday sounds so very lovely.
I envy you.
Tina, traditions vary from family to family but at the heart of it all is family. I've always told my kids it doesn't matter what we eat as long as we eat together. I hope they continue that with their own families.
Tina, I imagine you've created truly wonderful memories for your children. You have such a warm, loving personality, how could you not? :D
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