From Turkey, to Latkes, to Eggnog
Ah, the Holidays. Stress-inducing. Hectic. In-Laws. Overindulging. Overspending. Overindulging…did I say that one already?
It is easy to understand why this time of year can be difficult for people. I think I have come full circle on this as I have gotten older. The joyful exuberance and innocence of the holiday season I enjoyed as a child transitioning to the teen angst of can’t be bothered, evolving to the “do we really need to go through all this again this year?” in the beginnings of actual adulthood, to the “oh my, this is overwhelming!” once fully entrenched as a bona fide, busy, harried, cash-strapped adult. But now, I find myself enjoying the meaning of it all once again. Maybe it has something to do with my wife and I becoming emptynesters already. Or maybe it’s just become easier to not worry about things we can’t control and embrace and take comfort in those we can as we age. And traditions. Traditions are important. Whether longstanding traditions that are generational, or newer traditions that have developed once starting your own family. This time of year is always about traditions.
For us, it begins not long after Halloween. Planning for Thanksgiving – my favorite holiday. What was once a manic period of menu developing, shopping, inviting, more shopping, cleaning, cooking, yet more shopping, clean some more (by the time you actually sit down to eat, you’re utterly exhausted) has become a fine-tuned machine. My wife has a binder just for Thanksgiving. We have our menu set. We have our timeline set. We have our shopping set. I have my turkey on the grill/smoker set. Now we have the luxury of sitting and visiting with friends and loved ones and it’s far more relaxing and enjoyable. And Sam is home.
Prior to meeting my Jewish wife (Lori), I had very little exposure to the Jewish culture and customs. Now, I have the pleasure of participating in Hanukkah and other holidays. My wife and her family are far more observant of their Jewish religion than I ever was of my Catholicism. We decided early on that we would raise our children Jewish, but still respect and observe my holidays as well. There were some ground rules – particularly with the Christmas holiday. There were to be no red and green decorations. There was to be no Christmas tree. We called our decorations holiday neutral. Blue and white for the Hanukkah holiday, and white lights, stars, etc for the Christmas holiday. Sam felt a little slighted growing up because, although she would receive Christmas presents forms us and Santa Clause, she never had a tree in the house. As the years have passed, we have more and more embraced each other’s customs and traditions. I fry a mean latke and Lori loves the Partridge Family Christmas album that I grew up listening to with my mom and sisters. This year I started reciting the prayer in Hebrew while lighting the menorah and Sam finally got her little tree in her dorm room and we now have red and green holly boughs hanging in our living room. All the shopping is done, the food thought out, and the home awash in holiday spirit. This Hanukkah and Christmas will be a wonderful, relaxed time spent with friends and loved ones. And Sam is home.
We love our traditions – old and new. And those that are still evolving. Traditions bring us back to our innocence and since of wonder and connect us to our pasts. Traditions also set the foundation for generations that follow to carry forward and add their personal touches. This time of year is always about traditions. And traditions are important. Thank you and make it a great holiday.