One of my fondest childhood memories is of May Day. Every year on the First of May, my mother would take us into the garden were we would gather spring blooms in an old wicker basket. Once we had filled the basket, we’d go inside to make paper cones and arrange our May Day flowers inside. Then came the fun part. With our May Day baskets in hand, my sisters and I would sneak up to our neighbors’ houses, place a bouquets on the stoop, ring the doorbell and run. From behind the cover of a bush, we would watch as our neighbors opened their doors to find a spring surprise. I made sure to teach my children about May Day like my mother did for us. I also taught this tradition to the little girl who lived next door. A few years later, the family moved away. But to this day every year on the First of May, Caskey still leaves May Day flowers on my doorstep. This tradition of leaving May Day bouquets has nearly faded out entirely. Nevertheless, it is still one of my favorite seasonal traditions. I look forward to it every year.In honor of my new book Coming Home, we are having a giveaway that focuses on the theme of tradition. All you have to do is leave a comment about your favorite tradition. Tradition is about creating moments with those you love most, again and again. It can be a tradition you share with your friends and it doesn’t have to be seasonal. The contestant with winning submission will receive an autographed copy of Coming Home and a set of my Gelato cups. The deadline to enter is Sunday, February 28th. The winner will be announced by Friday, March 5th.
I am so excited to read about your traditions. My hope is that with these stories we will inspire each other to share new experiences with our loved ones.
May Day photo courtesy of skiptomylou.
www.rosannainc.com
One of my cherished traditions is going to my best friend's parent's home for their Swedish Christmas Eve.
ReplyDeleteNormally on the 23rd of December, we'd all gather for amazing food and Glogg (a spiced wine).
They say that this was the night that you celebrate Christmas with the "family" that you have chosen - so your family of friends.
I've been going since I was in college, and I haven't missed it since.
Our family has a little tradition that takes a spin on education outside of the classroom. At the end of winter we write down list of “If I only had the time” wishes or ideas. We sit down and share them together and we all pick one we would like to do with the other person. For example if I only had the time, I would take a cake decorating class. So this year because my father and I both enjoy watching TV cake shows we signed up to take a cake class together. Since most of us need a bit of motivation, it helps each of us complete an “If” task with someone we love who will support us. It sounds silly, simple but the idea is full of love. It teaches us to learn a new skill or try something new and support each others ambitions and dreams.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite family traditions is bagels and cream cheese for Sunday morning brunch, along with the New York Times!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was growing up in South Louisiana, my parents' best friends always had a huge Christmas Eve party....starting early in the afternoon, usually lasting into the wee hours of the morning with friends and relatives returning from midnight mass for a late night toddy. I have been away from Louisiana for almost 20 years and do not go home for the holidays any longer so my husband and I have started our own Christmas Eve party tradition...inviting all of our friends, their kids and visiting families. Our party has now become a neighborhood tradition!
ReplyDeleteOn cold winter days after I had either checked the mail at noon, got the newspaper in the afternoon or just played in the snow, my grandma would fix hot lemonade. She would make it from scratch with ingredients that she came up with some how. This sweet treat would warm me up.
ReplyDeleteDyeing Easter eggs with 3 or 4 generations of my family.
ReplyDeleteOn the night of December 5th we put our shoes on the porch for St. Nicholas to place nuts, fruit, and some candies. We did this as kids, and now that my daughter is 31 we still continue this tradition.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is around Christmas time, as that is my favorite holiday. We always gather, my immediate family on Christmas eve, sometimes with close friends joining us with good food, wine and just special times.
ReplyDeleteOften we exchange at least one gift on the eve and then save the rest for Christmas morning.
In 2010 that will be made even more special with our new and first grandchild joining us for his first holidays with all of us!
Traditions to be passed on to him as well, a joyous time!
Linda
When I was small my mother would collect all the tubes from toilet paper and paper towel. As the holidays would come around we would decorate them with the theme of the season. Using construction paper, pipe cleaners, and whatever else we thought was appropriate my younger sister and I would create seasonally themed decorations. To this day I still get calls when my mother is unpacking the "toilet tube pilgrims" and the "toilet tube santas." It is great to see how we progressed in our creativity over the years... as well as how our craft improved!
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in areas that received snow; my husband would make snow cream for our children.
ReplyDeleteTwo of our children are in their 30's and still continue this event with our grandchildren.
Our traditions we have been working on these past 9 years of my sons life involve replacing gifts with time and activities. For instance yesterday we went to the movies and ate red food all day and had a great day just hanging out being with each other. It doesn't get better than that!
ReplyDeleteFor the past few years my girlfriends from high school and I get together the night before Christmas Eve. We get together and get Chinese Take out, drink wine, watch Christmas movies and have a dance party. The next morning we get up and head over to our parent's houses who all live within a few miles of each other. It is the one Christmas tradition that is all about fun and friends. No stress allowed! :)
ReplyDeleteSanta always left large, white snowy bootprints which started at the fireplace and went over to the tree. (Make a boot stencil and sift flour over it, turning and sifting until you get over to the tree...get lighter as you go.) We happily continue this tradition even after my daughter got up in the middle of the process and looked at me with the most shocked eyes!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, our family would have Sunday supper once a month at my grandmother's house. It wasn't to celebrate a holiday or birthday, just to celebrate family. And we always left with a coffee tin full of grandma's cookies!
ReplyDeleteOne of our family's most enduring traditions is to make together Gingerbread cookies on Christmas Eve. At first the specially cut and decorated cookies were for Santa, but now the kids are much older and they now make the cookies specially decorated to share amongst family on Christmas day.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had my son, we started a family tradition of baking cookies on Christmas Eve and putting them by the tree for Santa on a darling cake stand. He has a great time helping me make the cookies and this year I found him a mini rolling pin that he thought was great. Christmas is such a fun family time. We all love it.
ReplyDeleteI have some wonderful traditions with my husband that happen on a regular basis. On weekends I get served breakfast in bed. Wednesday night is spa night where Steve gets my airbath ready with candles lit, a cocktail and scented bath salts in the bath. When we go out together Steve will always open the car door for me and put on my seat belt. By the way we will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary later this year.
ReplyDeleteHi, I just came across your beautiful blog and I have enjoyed reading your posts and visiting.
ReplyDeleteThe one tradition that comes to mind for me is for Christmas, although my two daughters are grown with children of their own, I always give them one toy for Christmas. Also my son in laws. They always look forward to see which new toy they will get and it is just fun getting to be a kid on Christmas. Thank you for having such a fun contest.
Happy Creating, Gail
when I was younger, my parents would leave dozens of balloons on the ceiling in my bedroom and a present on my bed. It would always be signed "from Santa". I was always amazed and excited by this sneaky gift giver, and my parents always got a few more hours of sleep. I'll be continuing on this tradition for my own children, as I have for my nephews.
ReplyDeleteBaking Christmas cookies. my children are 6,5 & 3. Ever since they have been old enough to help, they measure, pour, stir. They know when it is time and I start getting out all the cookie cutters, baking books, icing and sprinkles. They get So excited1
ReplyDeleteKeep posting stuff like this i really like it
ReplyDeleteMy friend and I have Craft Days about once a month. It's an all-day affair and we plan our food menu well in advance of the actual day - bruschetta, herb brie, fruit, dessert, some kind of main dish. I head over to her house in the morning and we set up our craft supplies, lay out the food on her pretty plates (more often than not, on a Rosanna plate that was picked up at the Warehouse sales!) in the kitchen, and settle in with a Netflix DVD of NCIS, Criminal Minds, or How I Met Your Mother. We don't always get a lot of crafting done, but we sure do eat well on these days!! So much so, her husband always likes it when we have craft days as it guarantees he has tasty food to eat for lunch and dinner!
ReplyDeleteWe just got to celebrate on of my favorite traditions! On Valentine's Day we have a big Pink and Red dinner and while we eat everyone makes up silly reasons to excuse themselves from the table so that they can sneak out the garage and leave a special something for each family member on the front doorstep. Then you ring the doorbell and run back inside and act surprised.
ReplyDeleteI love it. The kids love it. It is my favorite family tradition.
Me and my family are originally from Cameroon, and we moved to the US about 15 years ago. Now half of my siblings (we are only 5) are in Canada, and as close as we all are it's difficult to see each other. It's really always have been since we all finished high school. But Christmas time is our family time. No one dares to say that they can't come home for Christmas because then everyone else will be mad at them. But the best part starts from the moment we wake up on Christmas day, me, my sister and my mom start cooking and of course the chit chat, gossiping and making fun of each other starts. We each make a different meal, and of course my mother always makes a traditional dish that reminds all of us of back home and the good times we used to have with other family members. When the food is ready, my mom blesses the food, and we all jump in and forget about portion control. And while we eat around the table as a family we have the best of time. The whole Christmas holiday at home has always been the time when we find ourselves smiling and laughing the most. And come January 26th we all start looking forward to the next Christmas.
ReplyDeleteOne of my family traditions is every time we go see my relatives in Winston Salem, that night we go the the big Krispy Kreme store and get a dozen donuts. I love watching all the donuts come down the line and see them being created.
ReplyDeleteNo bells and whistles here, just a simple tradition of linguisa, eggs and mimosa's on Christmas morning with my family. Even if no one is home for the holiday, I still keep up the tradition by myself! My parents started it when I was little and now my children who are 25-30 look forward to it!
ReplyDeleteLove everything Rosanna .... am waiting to get my hands on your book ! One of our family traditions is to create a time capsule when each of us turn 10 and open it with your child when they turn 10 (and create their time capsule). The moments and memories this has created cannot be described. I still remember creating my time capsule and opening my moms. My daughter turned 10, 2 years ago and we did this - its an awesome moment with memories that will always be cherished. xoxo Gina
ReplyDeleteWhenever a girl in our family enters 'womanhood', all of the women in our family of every generation takes her out to celebrate at a favorite restaurant. It is a grand event in which all of the women and girls participate. At the most recent celebration, the ages ranged from 6 months to 77 years old. (Some of us travel great distances to attend.) The tradition started with my great great grandmother and continues on. No female in our family has ever crossed that threshold without having experienced a huge celebration.
ReplyDeleteIts tradition that every Christmas all of my family gets together and after supper Grandpa will always break out his old antique ice-cream maker and make ice-cream from out of the snow we have received that Christmas. And of course Grandma would always have homemade cookies to top it off. I love Family :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is decorating and eating heart shaped sugar cookies with my children for Valentine's Day. After we've had our fill, we take the rest to our friends and neighbors.
ReplyDeleteOne of my fave traditions is getting together with my dad and little sister to plant my dads garden every year!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is making tamales with the women in my family during Christmas. We get talk, laugh and have a great time; at the end we get to eat some delicious food.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a family full of traditions: it made so many holidays and so many ordinary days special. One of my favorite traditions was setting the Thanksgiving table with my mother. She would tell me the stories behind all the dishes and serving pieces. My favorite were the goblets with a red band around the top that were my great-grandmother's. It was a way of bringing extended family to the table even if they weren't able to physically come.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is our country Thanksgiving. All the family gets together along with friends - sometimes up to 25 people - where in Texas - so weather permitting tables are set outside. We have a bonfire the night before with fun appetizers, hotdogs and s'mores.
ReplyDeleteEvery Christmas my dad and mom buy us one big family gift. What's that you say...."What's so traditional about that??" Well, I'm so glad you asked! My dad is the creative type and writes out clues for us. He started when our son was little and could understand how to follow the clues! We go upstairs, downstairs, outside and to the garage. He hides them everywhere and every year, I am amazed how he gets the clues scattered around the house because I never see him do it! We have to follow the clues as a family (even the dog) until we find the final clue (usually with my mom). It's the best tradition and I can't imagine our holiday without it! More than the gift itself (which is usually really really rad), I love that my dad and mom love to put that much effort in to giving us a gift and laughing at us running all over their house.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition has always been celebrating "The Wise Men Day" on January 5th, every year!!!
ReplyDeleteWe get an empty box, put grass for the camels and put a bowl of water for them to drink from a long night of delivering gifts to children. I remember waking up early in te morning the next day with my siblings and find grass all over the place and water spilled. I remember saying "Why are those camels so messy?" What a great memory!!!!! My kids are enjoying this lovely tradition as well!!!!