Image via Wisconsin Union
I never really thought too much about my family’s holiday traditions until I invited my out-of-state friend to join my in-state family for Thanksgiving. It’s strange, because our Thanksgiving traditions are not as laid out as Christmas traditions, and I never thought we really had many traditions anyway. But the more I thought about it, the more I had to tell my friend about.
“Yes, we can make a side dish to bring, but don’t touch the stuffing! That’s my aunt’s recipe, and we love it.”
My family tends to be pretty laid back. We go to my aunt and uncle’s house to cook food and watch the parade and dog show. Their kitchen is connected to the living room, so people can take turns in the kitchen and still enjoy the show. And my family is filled with game lovers, so I also have to remember to teach my friend all of the rules for our fun but not commonly popular games, like The Great Dalmuti.
Image via Avalon Hill
“Oh! And don’t forget to bring something nice to wear for dinner.”
Then there’s all the little details that would be confusing if I didn’t explain them all now. The acronym my family uses to mean “this is the time by which you must be in the car or we’re leaving without you”, for example. Also, like how my family really, really likes movies, so my friend shouldn’t be surprised if, eventually, she hears the entirety of Young Frankenstein recited.
When I sit back and look at it all from an outsider’s perspective, my family definitely has a lot of quirks, as, I’m pretty sure, everyone’s family does. It really just makes it more exciting to learn about how others spend this time and makes me more excited to go home and experience my family traditions again.
How does your family celebrate the holidays?
Cover image via Time and Date