
New Traditions
As the holidays are approaching, everyone is making plans to spend time with loved ones. This got me things about tradition and family. Growing up it was custom to spend the holidays with family. Most of my fathers family was in the states making it easy to choose which side of the family we had to be celebrating with. But the older I get the more I am torn between my culture and my own traditions.
Once I was older and had my own family, Thanksgiving dinner was so important to us. We made it a tradition to celebrate with a traditional Thanksgiving with all the food, decor and everything that made Thanksgiving traditional. This Holiday ment so much to us as we were so thankful for the blessings and wanted to make sure we gave thanks. Not that we did not thank the Lord daily but wanted to make this “OUR” holiday. After my husband was gone it was not the same. How could it, he was no longer with us. How could I be thankful when such a tragedy had destroyed my life. It took me a couple of years to get my life back together.
When I was finally ready to take over the holidays again, it was difficult as everyone had to substitute during those years I was off. Now the traditional Holidays have been falling through the cracks. So when is it ok to stir from tradition and create your own? In the Hispanic culture this is extremely hard because tradition is so important. Being together with family is expected. But the older we get, we create our own family and should not be shamed for choosing our own path. The elders need to be open and understanding of the new traditions that we, as adults, are trying to establish for ourselves. Just like they had the opportunity to build traditions with their family, now with new times, we should be able to create our own and not be bashed.
My message is; the holidays should be joyful for you and your family. It should not be filled with stress or anxiety. Remember in Ephesians 5:31 it says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This means Your family is your spouse and children, even fur children. And that should be your priority, no one else! Get out there and create the memories you desire and don’t let outsiders take you away from your beliefs and stop you from creating the memories your heart desires.

