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Holiday Beginnings
New Traditions for the Families of Today By Sharon Waldrop
Grandmother Connie Nanasy recalls several family holiday traditions from the days when her children were young. In Connie's family, it was common for the smallest child to be lifted to the top of the tree to place the star. Also, after a child learned to read, he or she was allowed to practice this new skill by reading gift tags and passing out presents.
Nanasy read Twas the Night Before Christmas to her children so many times when they were young that over the years they memorized the whole poem. She was delighted when two years ago one of her adult sons was still able to recite the poem to her word for word.
"We bought a re-plantable tree a small Charlie Brown fir tree in a pot, which we transferred to the backyard in spring," says Hannah. She adds that they had no ornaments because they never had a tree together. Since their celebration was a non-secular, back-to-nature, new family tradition celebration, they decorated the tree with popcorn and cranberries.
Sherry Rust, a child and family therapist in Dallas, Texas, says holiday traditions are important in a child's development. "The most important commodities parents have for their children are time and love, not things," she says. "A family tradition can give children the sense of belonging to something larger than themselves. One of the most important developmental tasks for children is to develop a sense of belonging. Traditions aid greatly in that developmental task and at the same time bind the family with a common glue."
Today's holiday traditions can remain an important part of your family for generations in pictures, videos, scrapbooks and most importantly, in the memories of your children and grandchildren.
