A Tradition to a Memory
Our Santa plate with deer meat
December 20, 2022
Corinthians 11:2 “Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.”
A tradition is the transmission of customs or beliefs from one generation to another.
Millions of Americans observe Christmas as a Christian holiday, a holiday that is connected with traditions that range from preparing and decorating Christmas cookies to decorating a tree with handmade ornaments. Americans spend hours browsing in stores and online for the ideal present while enjoying holiday music. Christmas traditions differ from country to country and family to family, but they all make great memories.
A memory is when the mind stores and remembers information; this is normally information that has changed one’s life in a significant way.
Christmas in each country and family is normally celebrated the same with stockings, gifts and of course good ole Saint Nick, but let’s talk about food. As my grandmother says, “There is no good memory without a good meal.” In America a traditional Christmas dinner would consist of a juicy ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, etc. Over in Japan they have a little different take on Christmas dinner. As we know a big, white bearded guy is commonly known as Santa Claus, but this is not the big white bearded man well known in Japan. Colonel Sanders is the man that comes to mind with that description in Japan. Mr. Sanders makes a smiling appearance at many Japanese Christmas dinners.
As countries differ in food choices for Christmas I’m sure families do as well. A common tradition that my family takes in is making scrippelle’s or some call them a ‘wet crepe’. This is something that is quite meaningful because they come from our Italian background that will kind of keep that culture of ours alive.
Leaving cookies and milk or a stocking full for Santa is a common American Christmas tradition. My family, however, had a different take on the leaving of cookies for Santa. Christmas is shortly after hunting season, so we would leave Santa deer meat, cheese, and crackers. Little morbid, huh? Now, we weren’t that terrible– we still left Santa with a treat to fulfill his sweet tooth. Our family’s theory about leaving meat for Santa was that he was going to have a late night and would need to have some good nutrition in his body.
A recent Christmas tradition that has come about is the not so creepy elf on the self. Every family has a memory of the first time that their elf showed up at their house. For us, it was when my sibling and I were around the age range of 5-10. It was later in the evening our parents came to the living room mad at us for leaving the back door open, but we were all so confused because we never went outside that evening. Then in the middle of us “getting in trouble” my sister noticed something sitting on top of the mounted deer head. Little did we know it was one of Santa’s hard working elves. My younger brother was not a fan, and he broke out crying and said, “I do not like it, take it away, take it away.” Later that night my parents explained to him that he was just there to watch over us to make sure we are being good until Christmas.
Hanging Christmas lights is a very common Christmas tradition in America both in the house on the tree and outside the house. This I would say is one of the most controversial traditions. Some say all colored lights everywhere, but some (me) say white lights inside on the tree and colored lights outside. Let me change your mind if you enjoy colored lights inside your house. Think of it this way, people drive by your house all the time typically, seeing the colored lights is a head turner and “Ah” moment. Then, as people enter your house you want it to be welcoming and cozy, this is what white lights bring. Try it out next Christmas season and you will never go back. It’s never too late to change up your Christmas traditions.
Changing Christmas traditions is fun and exciting, it is a way to make new memories. Never let memories die and the best way to do that is keep traditions coming new and old. As Andy Williams says, “It’s the hap-happiest season of all.” He in fact is very much right.
