“Traditions: we’ve all got ‘em. They might be family dinners on special occasions, or having a particular kind of cake on your birthday (Jeanne Cake, natch), or popcorn at the movies, or meeting your friend for a 5k run in the park, rain or shine, every Sunday morning. What are your favorite traditions, large and small? What is it about your traditions that keep them going strong for you?” -The Daily Post
One of my favorite traditions has always been making Christmas Lists with my younger sister. We would start off by gathering the latest magazines and advertisements from anyplace we liked to shop. Then we’d go through and using our own colored marker, we’d circle whatever we felt like adding to our Christmas lists.
Then we’d make the list itself. My sister would oftentimes choose to keep things simple while I would devote time to listing where it could be purchased, how much it costs, if it needs to be ordered online, etc.
Then we’d draw a cover page which usually included a Christmas tree, stockings, and lots of Christmas ornaments.
Unfortunately, this tradition has been starting to dwindle. Being away at college this year, I almost didn’t even make a Christmas list! I felt bad leaving my sister to do hers all by herself for the first time in her life but there was nothing I could do – there were finals to study for! 🙁
No one likes to let go of traditions but sometimes life gets in the way. It’s a shame.
Rocky, your blog is one of the first ones I visited–after reading the Cliffhanger challenge back in January. (Yep, I’m a WordPress newbie!) I love seeing how close you are to your sister–I come from a somewhat dysfunctional family myself!–and know how good it must be to have a friend and advocate, especially in your own family. This story further illustrates that; I can see you guys sitting there with markers and, wow, how creative you two got with your holiday lists. Me, as a kid long ago, I just took my pen or marker and circled things in a catalog (way before the Internet) . . . okay, I chiseled it on a stone tablet, but still . . . 🙂
Hello Leigh!
Welcome to WordPress and welcome to my blog. So nice to meet you! I’m glad you can relate to my stories- that’s essentially why I take the time to share them! I love interacting with other people who share similar experiences and situations with me. Don’t worry, I used to make my lists the same way. We didn’t have access to a laptop until I turned seven or eight! 🙂
I was in Key Club in HS, too. I’m glad to see it’s still going strong in the U.S. 🙂
No way! Really? That’s awesome! Key Club is now in over 40 countries worldwide and continues to grow with each passing year! 🙂
Yep, neat coinkydink, right? 🙂 Key Club was a great experience (though I’m an introvert, I like helping/meeting other people); I’d gladly do it all over again.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I’m not sure how much you’ve read about me but you may have learned that I’m an introvert too! Guess Key Club draws people like us in! 🙂
I did read your about page. Very cool. I wasn’t an officer in the club like you, though. Plus, all the traveling and language-learning you’ve done must mean you’re somewhat extroverted (more than I am, anyway)! I did speak German in Germany (with a few mess-ups), and I know a little Cantonese (more of it than Mandarin), but I’ve never gotten the courage to use Chinese anywhere except at home occasionally. But I will close for now with what’s probably a terrible misspelling of the pinyin: xie xie ni for corresponding with me tonight, Rocky! Take care.
Thank you, Leigh! That’s so funny (and completely correct haha) Xie xie ni *to you* for visiting and please feel welcome to stop by again sometime! Take care! 🙂