I've been wrong. About a year ago I submitted a blog detailing the "lack of tradition" that my family maintains when it comes to holidays. In the past few months I've realized just how wrong I've been.
As I am currently discussing the option of marriage with the love-of-my-life (Hi Matt!) I've had to sit down and evaluate what means the most to me. As we've talked about the notion of holidays and our families is occured to me that there ARE traditions that my family maintains...and I'm not really ready to give them up.
The first is July 4th. Though I DID rag on it last year for being nothing more than an ice cream fest it has occurred to me that there is nothing I'd rather be doing on the 4th than eating as much ice cream as I can with my family. If the 4th happens to be on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday then the weekend tradition goes as follows: enjoy the beach, enjoy the art fair/parade, enjoy the House of Flavors (Day 1); for Day 2 - enjoy the beach, enjoy the art fair/parade, enjoy the Dairy Queen, enjoy the fireworks. Through into that mix quality time with the Taraskiewicz family and the Randolph clan and it has become...a tradition :) And it's one that I look forward to every year.
My next favorite family time is Christmas Eve. Since early childhood I've never been able to wait until Christmas Day to open presents. As my parents emphasized Jesus and family over Santa, we always did family gifts on Christmas Eve and a thing or two from Santa on Christmas. This not only drew our attention off of Santa Claus, but it also made it easier for the parents of impatient children to let them open presents NOW instead of later. But it's more than just that: there's dinner with Deerings, which includes french onion (or now perhaps Matzo Ball soup), shrimp and baby back rips. We throw in homemade Bailey's and luminaries...it, too, has become a tradition that I cannot imagine not living.
These quick little descriptions could never fully express how much I look forward to and LOVE my families quirks. Don't get me wrong, there are times my family makes me crazy, and there are times when I sometimes feel like running as fast as I can...but I could never run away from this. So many of my best time, my favorite memories, are tied into these two family traditions. Mom and Dad...thanks for making them happen :) I love you.
