Sunday, December 16, 2007

Tradition

In November when Deborah, The Humble Housewife, the Fun Monday hostess asked about holiday traditions, I spoke about Thanksgiving because we keep Christmas rather simple. And then later, Karisma asked about a childhood memory, I spoke about my childhood fear of Santa. Last Monday, Kaytabug of Lady K asked us to show our favorite ornament. As I visited other Fun Monday sites, I noticed many of the participants had fully decorated homes. These events as well as driving throughout our town viewing the festive decorations of the homes in my community caused me to reflect. Although our decorating is low key, Daddy D and I do have a few decorating traditions that we practice every year.



For example, we display Christmas cards above our doorway; this tradition is past down from my parents. However, as they were conscientious and sent cards, they received many cards in return.



Our tree has mostly been small. Our current version is actually the top of an artificial tree. The ornaments are those with special meaning, gifts from students, or made by our children. Under the tree are floppy reindeer from some fast food giveaway.


Another tradition, which we started because of cats and small children, was hanging breakable ornaments on the kitchen bulletin board. We no longer have cats, and our children are in their thirties, but we still display some special ornaments on the bulletin board.

We have a creche that my parents gave us many, many years ago. And, we have a whimsical Holy Family created by the youth at church. One of our newer customs is to display the flower pot Mary and Joseph on our kitchen table. We also keep these snowman salt and pepper shakers as part of the holiday decorations.


I sometimes think that we are not especially attached to traditions. However, although our displays are simple, I realized that we do decorate a certain way each year. Furthermore, although our decorating tends to be like our shopping a last minute affair, when I could not find some of our ornaments on Friday night, I was distraught. Maybe I do like a few traditions.

7 comments:

willowtree said...

This was a great post, thanks.

daddy d said...

There is tradition in that post. Simple but there it is with the time that it is given. Good from year to year.

Pamela said...

I wonder what it would be like to buy new decor every year. Maybe the magic would be gone.

Nancy said...

I'm with you,I love simplicity.

The years of past, when my kids were small, had me all in a tiz trying to decorate for the holidays.

Then I'd go nuts trying to keep them from touching or breaking ... what was I thinking????

Anonymous said...

It's the simple things that mean the most to me as well. We hve to do things just like they've always been done or it just doesn't feel "right".

A Slice of Life

karisma said...

I think the simple pleasures are usually the ones most enjoyed. I love the bulletin board idea. I have never thought of doing that. I ended up giving away a few of my favourite breakables after the boys came along.

Love the creche as well. Last year we made little angels and Santas the same way. They were lots of fun.

Margaret said...

I don't overdecorate because what is the point? It is what is in our hearts that matters, not how many lights or trinkets we put out. I have my special things (related to memories--just like you) that I put out. The very nice moving Santa that my husband brought home about 15 years ago--I hated it, but the girls loved it. It is now a prominent fixture in our entryway and reminds me that I can be WRONG. I always put out the girls' collection of snow globes.(annual gifts from their paternal grandmother)It's a lot of work, but when they were little, they used to wind up and play every song! There's the tree of course, and my God Jul figurines on the piano that my parents brought back from Norway. And the girls' stockings hanging from the hearth.