Thoughts on Holiday Traditions

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When I was growing up, Christmas Eve was just about as exciting — if not more exciting — than Christmas Day. Why? Because that was the day that the Gingerbread Man came to town. Every Christmas Eve my father would bring home to me and my sister a gingerbread man. This was a tradition passed on from his father.

Every family has their own holiday traditions, which vary from country to country, faith to faith, and family to family. But some holiday traditions are more universal — practiced by people all over the world. There are holiday traditions for Independence Day, Christmas, Hanukah, Easter, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Ramadan, and other holidays.

Christmas holiday traditions usually include a Christmas Eve dinner, complete with egg nog, caroling, and good spirits. Holiday dinners on Christmas Day are typically include turkey and stuffing, ham, or lamb with lots of yummy sides like mashed potatoes, yams, and other holiday foods. Perhaps the biggest and most popular holiday tradition is holiday greeting cards sent to everyone on your Christmas card list. In recent years, new traditions have been formed to include a Christmas letter with the holiday card that is a summary of what your family has been up to the previous year.

Hanukah, an important holiday for those of the Jewish faith, include a similar large dinner and the gift-giving elements as Christmas. When family cannot be together for this holiday, send your loved ones a dradel and holiday card to let them know that they are still involved in the family holiday celebration.

Thanksgiving holiday traditions in America include holiday turkey, parades and football games. It’s a time for family and letting everyone you care about how much you are thankful for their very existence. That is the essence of this holiday — being thankful. Because we all lead such busy lives today, and family cannot always be present on these special holidays, a new tradition has arisen. Thanksgiving holiday cards are now available to send to all of your loved ones who can’t come to Thanksgiving dinner and watch the games with you. Unfortunately, the turkey and big screen tv don’t fit into the envelope!

Easter holiday traditions usually include an Easter egg hunt, baskets full of candy left by the Easter bunny, and church services dressed in, well, Sunday best. My family always spent Easter with my mother’s parents — except that one time I woke up Easter morning very sick with the flu (I’ve never been able to look at marshmallow peeps the same way since that was the first thing I saw when I woke up nauseous — but that’s another story). When you cannot have family present for this important holiday, send them an online holiday greeting from the Easter bunny to lift their spirits.

Remember, the most important element to any holiday is family and friends. When they cannot be with you for one reason or another, it is important that they aren’t left out. Sending a holiday greeting card can let them know they are still in your thoughts and heart. A simply holiday greeting card and a special phone call spreading holiday cheer can make it feel like you are together, no matter how many miles may separate you.

And what of the gingerbread man? Well, for years I thought it was of Scottish origin because that was my grandfather’s background. But no, it was merely my father’s father’s way of getting his fix of gingerbread, a food he loved. My father simply kept up the tradition.