The Importance of Family Traditions – Especially This Time of Year

When you reflect on your childhood Christmases, what memories come to mind? Was it the church services with the beautiful music and having all of your family (and community) together? The elaborate meals that your mama spent hours preparing? What about the Christmas stockings with their oranges and chocolate coins? 

These are all special traditions that we often remember most. It isn’t about the gifts, but the time spent together and that warm and content feeling that comes with this wonderful time of year. Thinking about this once again inspired me to sit down and write – this time, about why traditions are so very important – especially for our grandkids! 

Reflecting on the Christmases of my childhood always makes me smile. Oh, how those memories twinkle like lights on a tree! 

The hymns and carols that filled the air at church services, the sight of my family and neighbors filling the pews, their faces aglow with the joy and reverence of the season. 

And then, there were the meals - my, my! The kitchen was the heart of our home, pulsating with the warmth of the oven and my mama's love, which she poured into every dish she prepared.

In my mind's eye, I can still see the Christmas stockings hung by the chimney with care. They weren't filled with fancy toys, but oranges that seemed to taste sweeter than any other day of the year and chocolate coins that sparkled like real gold to us kids. Such simple joys, but oh, how they filled our hearts!

Now that I am a grandma, I now realize more than ever the importance of these traditions, especially for our grandkids. You see, traditions not only make for wonderful memories, but they also connect this generation with past generations. Traditions are the stories we pass on and the customs that define our family's unique way of celebrating life and love.

When we teach our grandkids to roll out cookie dough the way their great-grandma did or sing the same carols that have echoed through our family's generations, we are not just sharing a recipe or a song - We are gifting them a piece of history, a slice of their heritage.

It's in these traditions that our grandbabies learn the values we hold dear. Whether it's kindness, generosity, faith, or the joy of togetherness, each tradition is an opportunity to impart these lessons in a way that's both meaningful and memorable. As we bake, decorate, sing, and celebrate, we are not just making merry; we are instilling values that will guide them as they grow.

But perhaps most importantly, traditions are about making memories. Long after the gifts are forgotten, it's these special moments and rituals that our grandkids will remember and cherish. 

The warmth of grandma's kitchen, the laughter around the dinner table, the glow of the Christmas lights – these are the things that will warm their hearts for years to come.As I hang the stockings and deck the halls, I do so with a heart full of gratitude for the traditions that have enriched my life. And as I pass these on to my beloved grandkids, I do so with the hope that they will one day do the same. For in keeping our traditions alive, we keep the past alive in our hearts and build a bridge to the future.

In a world that often feels rushed and superficial, these traditions are a reminder of what truly matters – not the material, but the spiritual.

Not the grand, but the genuine.

Not the fleeting, but the lasting. 

And in this wonderful time of year, as we gather around, let us remember that the greatest gift we can give our grandkids is not found under the tree, but in the traditions that we share with them.

Have the most joyous Advent/Hannukah/Christmas season, my fellow Devoted Grandmas! Enjoy your family, and remember – the more traditions, the better. 🙂 God bless!