The Timeless Treasures of Traditions
My wife decided to serve ham for Thanksgiving this year. WHAT! I did not react well. What about family and tradition? What about the Pilgrims? Turkey is traditional! We need to value tradition.
In our fast-paced, ever-evolving world, traditions are like anchors in a storm. They ground us, connect us to our roots, remind us of who we are and where we came from. Traditions make us happy. Well, they make some of us happy.
For me, growing up, the holiday season was full of wonderful traditions. Thanksgiving always started with a special breakfast, making the entire day a food fest. Often we would eat in the living room, a special treat, while we watched the parades on TV. Extended family would join us around 4 pm, and dinner at 5 pm. And yes, turkey was served along with my grandmother’s southern style cornbread dressing. It wasn’t just about the food though.
Research suggests that traditions help our mental and emotional health. Dr Crystal Schiller, clinical psychologist from UNC Health, says “the key is to think about what brings you the most joy and meaning during the holiday season, and prioritize those things.
Traditions can bring a family together no matter where we are on the globe. And yes, as families move away, we can’t always be together. I am reminded of my favorite holiday commercial that drives this point home for me (yes I said “home” on purpose). You have undoubtably seen the spot. It is for Bouygues Telecom and features a Dad dancing to the tune Come and Get Your Love by Redbone. We see the Dad dancing as the son grows up until the final scene where the son calls the Dad and dances to the tune while holding his own son. Yes, traditions can make us tear up, but in a good way. Traditions keep us close, and allow our family culture to survive. Here is a link for you to enjoy.
click here (to see the commercial)
However, it is fine to introduce “new” traditions, even for people like me (Read into that however you would like.) New traditions have their own unique value. They allow us to adapt to changing circumstances, reflect evolving values, and create meaningful connections with our current lives. Creating new traditions isn’t about replacing the old; it’s about building new memories reflecting our current life.
In the end, the value of traditions, both old and new, can bring joy, and become a treasured part of our future.
Oh, and in case you are wondering…we are had both ham and turkey for Thanksgiving-old and new traditions. I love it.
Enjoy your day.
Just a little extra-
So…what was served at the first Thanksgiving?
The first Thanksgiving took place in November of 1621. Ninety men from the Wampanoag Indian Tribe joined the Pilgrims, mostly men and children(many of the women did not survive the first year) for the fall harvest feast, a tradition for the indigenous people.
No records exist of the exact bill of fare. However the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow noted in his journal that the colony’s governor, William Bradford, sent four men out on a “fowling mission” in preparation for the three day event. The fowl was most likely geese and duck, but could have included a turkey or two.
Venison was also served as the Wampanoag arrived with five deer.
Plenty of fruits and vegetables were served as it was the celebration of the harvest. Onions, beans, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, carrots, and peas were likely served. Corn made an appearance in the form of cornmeal. Not on the menu was dressing or potatoes. The Pilgrims left the homeland before the Spanish brought potatoes to Europe. There may may been some form of pumpkin, but not as a pie, as sugar and wheat flour were in very short supply.
In case you are wondering, football made it’s first appearance as part of the celebration in 1876.
Yale squeezed by Princeton in a barnburner. Final score 2-0. The game was played in Hoboken.
References
Onion, Amanda. November 19,2024. First Thanksgiving Meal. The History Channel
Wendt, Taylor. October 6, 2022. Why Family Traditions Matter. WebMD
Family time.