Preserving family traditions is vital to me because they reinforce the connection between relatives and define our uniqueness. I firmly believe in upholding these rituals, be it the annual Thanksgiving get-togethers or spending Sundays engrossed in football. Each minute aspect plays a crucial role in strengthening my family’s unity.
My family has many cherished traditions that I greatly appreciate. One of them is dedicating every Sunday from September to February to watching football and supporting our beloved team, the Giants. We make sure to participate in this favorite pastime no matter where we are.
Despite the decline of family traditions in recent years, our traditions have remained intact. Our parents make a conscious effort to maintain a close-knit family, and we cherish every moment of it. Despite my brothers’ commitments to college or their careers, they always make an effort to stay connected with our mom through calls or by coming home for dinner whenever possible. The younger generation of our family has never strayed too far from home. Matthew, the oldest among us four siblings, currently resides in Massachusetts where he works as an engineer while also attending graduate school.
Alex resides in Fairfield, a neighboring town to Bridgeport where he is employed as a truck driver by a company. Luckily, he pays us regular visits. Josh, who is just three years my senior, studies at the University of New Hampshire and ensures his return home whenever feasible. I firmly believe that preserving close family bonds and upholding customs is vital in our contemporary society. Although it may pose challenges and lead to estrangement, I fail to find any legitimate grounds for forsaking family traditions. These traditions carry significant value, and each cherished moment spent with beloved ones holds immense importance.
Throughout my childhood, my family embraced various traditions centered around mythical figures like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter bunny. These customs greatly contributed to the joy of my early years. Surprisingly, it wasn’t until I reached sixth grade that I learned about Santa Claus being fictional – a realization that might seem delayed for some individuals. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed believing in him until that point. Every year, families eagerly await diverse occasions; households with young children excitedly anticipate holidays such as Christmas and Easter while families like mine, with older kids, eagerly look forward to more intimate and tailored traditions.
Every year during Christmas, my father and I have a beloved tradition of making a massive amount of cookies. This tradition holds great value for me when the holiday season arrives. We diligently bake a thousand cookies each year, ensuring we have at least five different varieties. Among these options, my personal favorite is the cream cheese wreaths, solely because I have the opportunity to employ the cookie cutter gun. Following this, we continue the tradition by making the time-honored butter balls, which have been passed down through generations from my great great grandmother. These cookies are incredibly addictive, typically disappearing within just seven days of their creation, despite our threefold increase in the recipe quantity. Additionally, we take pleasure in experimenting with and trying out three other types of cookies, as we enjoy the thrill of exploring new culinary creations.
As we grew older and more mature, these traditions started to fade. The emphasis shifted from the physical aspect to the belief itself. However, these traditions have changed over time, which is perfectly fine. While Christmas now involves gathering with family and exchanging gifts, it used to revolve around Santa Claus and the excitement of receiving presents. On every holiday or birthday, we have different customs and traditions that we cherish and deem important.
Traditions, customs, and beliefs within our family have a purpose and serve as a unifying force. They are eagerly anticipated and hold great significance for my entire family. Despite arguments that traditions are diminishing with each generation, I am an advocate for their importance and sincerely hope others will recognize it.
