Family Traditions – For Today and Tomorrow
Part 2
By Amanda Bennett
The variety of traditions is infinite, and I’ve heard of some very unique family traditions in all of my travels around this great country. But that is one of the things that make them special – they are YOUR family’s traditions, unique to you all.
As we approach this holiday season, I know that there are plenty of traditions that are observed in American homes. At our house, autumn brings an exciting collection of family traditions. With the start of autumn, I make sure that we have chrysanthemums on the front steps. They start off on the front steps, then we plant them in the ground when they finish blooming. Dad collects several bales of hay, some corn stalks, and a few pumpkins and gourds to make a fall decoration by the driveway – Dad’s autumn masterpiece, as the kids call it.
After taking care of the decorating traditions, we move on to those that can be appreciated around the kitchen table. With the harvest of the apple crop here in Tennessee, we have warm apple pie and ice cream in the evenings, while gathered around the table rehashing the latest football upsets, debating the World Series, and planning the upcoming holiday season.
Sometimes traditions can span the miles between family and friends. Years ago, family members and friends began choosing which NFL teams would win the Sunday games. We named this process “Football Picks,” the object being to see who could pick the most winning teams, This tradition now is carried on by email for a collection of friends and family across the country, and it is a simple and fun celebration of the season, crossing miles and keeping everyone in touch.
With the advancing cooler weather, we have other traditions here at the Bennett home. We make quite a production of the first fire in the fireplace, enjoying the beauty of the fire and using the occasion to thank everyone for their firewood labors of cutting and splitting the wood for the coming winter. With the cooler weather, we also begin our autumn weekend sky-watching parties around large campfires – so that we can watch for stars and planets and satellites, and enjoy the Milky Way as it spreads out in the dark country sky. Family and friends come from all over to join us in this endeavor, and while we don’t work out ALL of the problems of the world, parents, grandparents and children all benefit from the time spent together.
Join me here on the Front Porch next week for Part 3!
Blessings,
Amanda B.
www.unitstudy.com
Related Tags: unit study, adventure, homeschool, home school, home education, family, tradition, today, tomorrow, decorations, fall, autumn, Thanksgiving, harvest, football, sports, fire, stars, universe, Milky Way
