Hey!
For some reason I keep thinking of that song "Traditionnnnn Tradition.... TRADITION!" Of course those are the only words I know and I am not sure what song that is from, but Fiddler on the Roof sticks in my head.
A week from today many of you will be honoring Thanksgiving and spending time with friends and family.You'll be spending time eating, talking, laughing, playing games, eating again, laying around, watching TV, taking walks or whatever your tradition has always been. New traditions can begin at any time and old ones shift over the years, but all of us have some remembered fondly.
With our family, dinner is always at my parents house and once we became "adults" we all pitch in and bring a dish so the load isn't just on mom. I'm the one in the family who does not like to cook so I always was responsible for bringing the rolls or ice cream, but I have slowly graduated to bringing the green bean casserole. :) Of course I also do clean up duty so I feel that that more than sufficiently makes up for my lack of culinary skills. I enjoy doing the dishes because for one, I don't like to sit around after stuffing my face, and secondly, it's a great time to talk with my nieces and sisters who drift into the kitchen to lend a hand.
We all arrive at my parents earlier to drink and hang out before dinner. Some who enjoy cooking like to piddle in the kitchen while the kids and I come in and out asking "When are we going to eat?" I like to hang out with my nieces and nephews catching up on their lives and freely giving out sage advice or a good smack in the head if needed. If it's nice out the little kids will be outside running around, picking up sticks, wading in the creek or doing sidewalk chalk on the driveway.
The majority of my family lives near here so it's a full house with all the younger ones and the older kids who are home from college. This year there should be about 31 of us gathering. Before dinner my dad gathers us in the kitchen to say grace and we each say what we are thankful for. There is always a tear in the eye and a lump in the throats to see my dad choke up when he says how happy and proud he is of our family and the fact that we can all still be together is a huge blessing.
It really is what it's all about. Being thankful for the family and friends that we have who love us and we love back. Despite our spats and disagreements we all love each other dearly and I thank God for each of them. It doesn't matter if it's a huge get together or just a couple of people, it's what is in your heart.
Was I too sappy? Did I talk too much? I could go on you know.... :-)
What sort of traditions do you have?
Peggy ~ Goodgosh ~ GG ~ MSS
