Traditions

This has been such a year of change and growth for myself and the life around me. Most recently came the change of my family's Christmas celebration. It's very strange to me, because I feel in the past week I have shared my family's great tradition with many friends and thought that I looked forward to it continuing this year. Well things were on track as always, beginning with the celebration of my brother's birthday on the 23rd of December with a wonderful prime rib dinner. (A tradition which we learned began on the night of my brother's birth, when my grandfather on my dad's side prepared us this celebratory meal... it's been maintained ever since.) The following morning, Christmas Eve, my parents, brother, and I awoke and did the traditional gift exchange. (This tradition began out of necessity, for we always travelled to Chico, and transporting all of those gifts was just too much). I then layed down for a nap, after chauffering my brother and his friends around the night before until 3 am. (Happy to say that is not a tradition, but I was pleased to offer my service this year). Well, I awoke a couple of hours later to find my parents and brother discussing whether or not we should make the traditional 4.5 hour trek to Chico, to continue all of the Christmas festivities as we always have. I was the only one seemingly clinging to the tradition, and I must admit that I even became emotional over the thought of losing a 24 year old family ritual. However, once I rethought my emotional response, I realized that it wasn't that I wanted to maintain the ways of the past, but rather I feared letting go of it. In retrospect, I couldn't tell you the difference between any Christmas in the past 14 years... although I do love seeing all of my family, the Christmas ritual had become so routine (having the same conversations with the same people year in and year out) it was good to start anew. I am not saying that there is any regret in the previous Christmas', but rather the change was for the best. My immediate family was able to reconnect in a way that we haven't in many years. Therefore bringing me to my real point. I realized this Christmas that traditions are only worth keeping if there is meaning behind them and each additional experience brings one new joy. When these traditions become routine, and no longer special we must reevaluate what we are doing and reinvent how we interact so that there is always relevance and excitement to be found in our time together.