Traditions... "a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past." Interesting way to start off the new year and my post for today. As many of you know, I was adopted. Because of that, I've always felt a degree of uncertainty about where I fit in this vast universe. Some may argue that I was loved more because of being adopted. You would have to have grown up in my existence to know why I disagree with that position and question my place as I do. But that's an entirely different subject for a different post. Today I am focusing on traditions and why they are so important to me.
When Emile was a baby, I was flipping through her baby book. One of the pages was about holiday traditions. I decided at that moment to make sure there were traditions I adhered to... I wanted to be sure that when she was grown, and had her own family, she would have some memories and traditions that perhaps she would choose to continue with her family. I have done just that. There are things we have done each and every years since her birth. Some things have changed slightly, and new traditions have been added here and there, along the way.
In addition to the pickle, which we hang on the tree every year, there's also the spider.
This year I added two new storybooks to my vast collection of Christmas books,
A new Santa and Mrs. Claus set,
And the tradition of burning a Bayberry candle on Christmas Eve.
The Legend of the Bayberry Candle goes like this...
"This Bayberry candle comes from a friend,
so on Christmas eve burn it down to the end.
For a Bayberry candle burned to the socket,
will bring joy to the heart and gold to the pocket."
My first Bayberry candle was hand made by a friend. He remembers his mother burning them when he was a child, and has continued the tradition his entire life. I am happy to add this new tradition.
So there you have it. A wrap up on some special, new ways our family celebrates during the Christmas, season.
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