Special Memories

There is no blog post or book that creates the perfect family. Families come in all different forms, but the most successful families have one thing in common: there is love within the home. A list of ways people show love would depend on the person writing the list and there is not one that exists that is all inclusive. Depending on different cultures, backgrounds and family setups there are things that help the family run smoothly. One of the things that helps bring the family together are traditions. I would like to speak on a few different family traditions and how they affect the members of the family and hope that it will remind you of something you and your family do and how it helps strengthen those bonds that you have with them. 

            Growing up there were several different things we attempted to do every year as tradition so that we would have something to look forward to. One of my most fond memories is that of going camping the weekend before school started. No, we would not go camping in a tent but we would go to my uncle’s cabin. We would go to Big Springs in Island Park to float the river, we would ride four-wheelers, we would sometimes go on a hike and we would roast dinner over the campfire. These are some of the fondest memories I have growing up because it was time we got to spend as a family having a good time. Floating the river, we would be quiet in order to not disrupt the wildlife sometimes seeing different species of birds or even animals such as moose or otters. Riding four-wheelers we would go along the paths until we got to the gravel pits or almost stuck in mud on the trail. Hikes were always fun because we were able to get a lot of energy out and enjoy the sun. Lastly, it was not a camping adventure if there weren’t hot dogs and s’mores over an open fire. Traditions like these helped form stronger family ties and bring everyone together.

            Differing cultures bring about different traditions. There is a family is Monsefú, Perú that exhibits a different type of tradition, one that most families around here don’t do. At least not that I am aware of. Every birthday, this family kills and cooks a turkey. Now this might not seem like a big deal to many people, but for them, it is. Turkeys in Perú are not as easy to get as they are in most parts of the United States. For them it is a monetary sacrifice to purchase one when there are many other thigs they could buy. But, it is a tradition and so they do it. On the day of the birthday, the turkey is bought, killed, de-feathered and cooked. The lunch (their biggest meal of the day) is when they eat this turkey so the preparation is all completed in the morning. As birthdays approach you can even hear the little one’s asking if they are going to have a turkey for their meal. They are willing to skip the presents and other toys as long as they are allowed to participate in this event with the rest of the family. 

            These traditions as well as many others bring out the best in family members. Other traditions are best discarded. One that my family had growing up was called the “Turkey Trot.” This consisted of meeting up in the morning to run before stuffing ourselves like the dinner turkey that night. This event in my home was typically met with groans and threats to not participate in any of the daily events. For me that was a good tradition to discard as well as some others. I’m sure you can think of some like that. 

            When it comes to family and traditions it is best to look at those things that bring the family together and make people want to spend more time with each other. Traditions, when put in place properly have an amazing ability to unite members of the family and to help bring out the best in everyone. What are some of the traditions you had growing up? What are some of the traditions that you would like to implement in your new family?