Monday, November 19, 2012

My Favorite Traditions

I love traditions. Traditions unite us with the past, serving as reminders that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. So this is my favorite time of year, when daily life is filled with so many traditions. This year, I am especially looking forward to sharing our family traditions with Seven and starting new ones that we can cherish together.

In my family, Christmas actually starts a day or two before Christmas Eve. That is when my grandmother hosts her annual cookie day for all the grandchildren. She started this with my sister and I when I was just a baby. We start with rolling out the dough and cutting the shapes at the counter while my grandmother oversees the oven. After a pizza lunch, we move to the table and break out the frosting and sprinkles to decorate the cookies. With the work done, we used to start snooping under the tree to identify our presents. Now that we are older, the suspense of wrapped presents is easier to endure but we still love re-enacting the snooping. The day ends with my grandmother giving each of us an ornament.

Cookie Day has grown over the years from just me, my sister, and grandmother to include my younger cousins and, eventually, our children. Since E and I got married, we rotate where we spend Christmas and thus I only go to every other Cookie Day. Two years ago, fresh off a failed cycle, I couldn't make it through the day without breaking down. I was at one of my lowest points in this infertility journey. I only saw the darkness and loneliness of infertility. I could not see an end to the journey.

This year, I will get to introduce my son to my favorite tradition. But now I realize that being a mother is not an end, but a whole new beginning. I want to start our own traditions with my husband and son that are special just for us. I want to find ways to incorporate my son's culture to our holiday traditions. I am very excited for the next month or so and know that even if things don't go perfectly, there is always a way to adapt traditions to the unexpected.

4 comments:

  1. Yay! Cookie making is high on our tradition list too! Creating new traditions for our kids is something a really look forward to too. I can't wait for all the PAIL posts on traditions to be listed so I can borrow ideas from other people! ;)

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  2. Ahh, yes...cookies are the best part because after all the baking, come Christmas morning those cookies are pretty darn good :)

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  3. I love this cookie making tradition!! :) And how wonderful that this year you are able to introduce it to your son and begin the journey into your very own traditions. A few years ago my husband and I started the tradition of baking cookie, wrapping them up in cute packages and taking them to all our neighbours. Excited to take Alidia on that walk this year!! :)

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  4. I FORGOT about cookie making until right now! Shortbreads! Mmmmmm....

    Cookie Day is very sweet, and very important to you, as I am sure it will be to Seven one day. :)

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