Family Traditions

Why are Family Traditions Important?

What is the first thing you think of when someone asks you what your family tradition? Is it opening up one present on Christmas Eve or a big breakfast on Saturday morning? Every single tradition your family has is very important. Traditions bond the family and creates excitement for every member of your family.

My family Traditions

Whenever my high school teachers would ask me what my family traditions were, I never really had an answer. Other kids in my class would always have an awesome tradition like going to Hawaii every Summer. I had such a hard time coming up with a tradition for some reason, but now I realize it was because I thought that traditions had to be big events, which they do not.

My family has lots of small traditions and routines that we follow. The first tradition that I can think of is every Christmas Eve my parents take my brothers out to eat at a place called Lawry’s Prime Rib. This restaurant is one of my favorite places to eat because everything is top quality. This Christmas Eve I got to bring my husband, Ben, and he was amazed about how good the food was.

A small tradition my mom and I have done since I was little is making treats on Sundays. When I was little my mom and I would make the same chocolate chip cookie recipe, even though I did not like it very much. Once I got older I started to gain an interest in baking. I would find different recipes on food network and try a new treat on Sunday. My older brother started gaining an interest in baking too, so he started to help my mom and I in the kitchen.

My favorite family tradition happens every three years. My grandma pays for my mom’s side of the family to go on a cruise. We go on a week long cruise in the Caribbean and it is the best thing ever. First of all there is unlimited food all day long and I get to spend time with my cousins. Every night for dinner we all go to our assigned dinner table and dress up nice clothes. I love going to this dinner with my family because in the day time we all do our own thing but at night we come together and have such a fun time. Plus, we can order as many entrées as we want!

My Husband’s Family Traditions

Ben’s family has tons of little family traditions that they participate in year round.

During Christmas time Ben’s family goes caroling with his 9 younger siblings. On Christmas Eve their family opens up matching pajamas that they were that night and all day on Christmas. Shortly after Christmas Ben’s family goes to Seattle and a place called Snowflake Lane. They all stay the night in Seattle and find new places to eat at each time they visit.

On the 4th of July the family wakes up early to go to the Sedro Wolley, Washington parade, which is a small town about 20 minutes away from their house. After the parade they go to their auntie’s house for a huge bbq with all of his cousins. Later that night the extended family gets together to have a huge firework show!

Ben’s family also goes to Canada often because they are only 30 minutes away from the border. In Canada they have the tradition of buying over 20 Indian samosas, which is a maida shell stuffed with filling and deep fried… you should try them because they are amazing!

Merging of Family Traditions and Different Cultures

Now that I am married to Ben we have to figure out which family traditions we want to use in our own family. In order to merge our separate traditions we will have to eliminate the ones we do not want. Next, we will take all of the good traditions and start practicing them. It is also not a bad idea to take the family traditions you like from a friend or a work colleague. Finding your own family traditions are so important and it is vital that you practice the ones that will bond your family for life.