Friday, October 1, 2010

Friday prompt

Today, my good friend the Scribbler is hosting a delightful online post-along called Weekword, which challenges participating bloggers to create a post based upon a single word.  This week's word is ten.

When I think about the word ten, I think immediately of time.  A decade.  Which feels like a really long time -- long enough to achieve big goals, to gain perspective, to set in motion enduring practices.

Today's prompt is inspired by the thought of those enduring practices.  I'd love to hear about your traditions -- the things that you do to celebrate momentous occasions; the ways that you mark the passage of time; even perhaps the small, lasting rituals that give meaning to your day-to-day comings and goings . . .


I'll start things off in the comments with one of my longstanding family traditions and I hope you'll join me there to share yours!

Happy Friday friends!

27 comments:

  1. Sunday dinners with my in-laws.

    Sunday dinners have been the law in my husband's family since long before I came along, but they've also been part of my life since meeting him more than 20 years ago. There were years along the way (my twenties, mostly) when this weekly event felt oppressive and I resisted. Now, with a few decades of perspective under my belt and children of my own, I can see them for what they really are -- a gift.

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  2. My husband and I hit our 10 year anniversary mark this year. Something that I began on our wedding day was to do a 2 page scrapbook layout about the last year in review with a photo of us on our anniversary and some words to each other plus any memorabilia from the day (ticket stub, restaurant menu, card from others). I have done a layout every March 10th and I LOVE to go back and read the album and remember the special dinners, get-aways, and expressions of love.
    Also for the last ten years of marriage we go out to dinner every Valentines as well as our anniversary.

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  3. Since it's fall, and the first day of October, I'll share my favorite and longest-lasting Halloween tradition. My mom was never a big fan of Halloween, and still isn't, but every year for Halloween she makes chili. Now, 30 years later, all five of us girls, along with our husbands and our own children, still meet at Grandma and Grandpas for chili and to show the grandparents this years costume choice. It just wouldn't be Halloween without it.

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  4. Our family tradition that has been going on for forever is Trivial Pursuit. Every time more than 3 of us (out of 10) get together, we play Trivial Pursuit. Yes, there are usually tears, but for the most part there is laughter and fun. We love the challenge of the game. On our most recent get-together, we played Trivial Pursuit on the Wii (yes, such a thing DOES exist, and it is really fun!). We all {usually} have a great time. Since we don't get together all that often, we don't have many long-standing traditions, but this one has definitely endured!

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  5. A family tradition that we have had before I was even born is to have fondue for dinner on Christmas Eve. To this day, I love fondue, and will make it for other dinners/occasions, but it just isn't the same!

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  6. A family tradition we have had going for about 11 years now (that is, if we do it again this year) is that on Thanksgiving my parents and my siblings and I all get together to eat and then we go out to a movie. This might not seem like such a huge feat or even that special to some. But, here's the catch... my parents are divorced and so, having my family all in one room on a holiday makes it easier for my two younger sisters and I. We never have to try to choose where we need to be and we all get to be together. Everyone gets along and it provides my sisters and I with the much needed feeling of "family". Even at 26 years old, I look forward to it every year!

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  7. our family tradition is home-made halloween costumes. my mom made the best homemade costumes for me and my 3 younger sisters growing up and know that i have 4 kdis of my own, with 4 very differing personalities, i hope to carry on the tradition. we work on it together and they usually wear them past halloween, until they fall apart or get wore to threads.

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  8. Every Christmas I wrap the last of my presents on Christmas Eve, while I listen to the Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College, Cambridge (or 'Carols from Kings') on BBC Radio 4. The carols vary, but it always opens with 'Once in Royal David's City' and it always ends with 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' and ever since I can remember, as the last strains die away, my mum has said, 'Ah, that's Christmas started for me now...'. When I was a kid I used to roll my eyes but now I know exactly what she means!

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  9. My hubby and I started a tradition three years ago of going to Denver each holiday season to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform and walk along the 16th Street mall to see it all lit up. I look forward to this trip all year long.

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  10. Cupcakes for breakfast on your birthday!

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  11. My absolute favorite family tradition is our birthday tradition! Our family and guests (if any) MUST sing "Happy Birthday" off-key and as unrecognizable as possible! It's hilarious! No one is allowed to sing properly... You should see the look on our first-timer's faces... ; )

    Even those that have experienced it before, will laugh and join in, then joke with the newbies, "Yeah, this is what they do! I thought it was a joke too, my first time..." LOL!

    Everyone has such fun with this... no one is left unsmiling!
    Have a great day!
    Lotus

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  12. I know it sound a bit ego-centric, but I was born at 12:45 in the afternoon, so For the past 15 years (I started when I was 16), on my birthday at 12:45 I look in the mirror for the whole minute to see myself turn older. (laughs)

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  13. Each child gets their own back-to-school shopping day with Mom. We love this one-on-one tradition of shopping for supplies, clothes, and lunch at the place of their choosing. Our oldest is a senior this year, but I plan to continue this with her in college as well. I don't want to spend this year thinking about "our last __________". I want to enjoy each and every moment...with each of our children.

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  14. on my daughter(s) birthday(s) I call them & blast the song, "You Say It's Your Birthday" sung by the Beatles, on their White Album... here's a link to one of the post(s)

    http://silverlinings4me.blogspot.com/2010/02/mini-bday-celebration.html

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  15. My Great Aunt wrote a wonderful Christmas story -- I used to hear it every year read in my Father's deep voice -- then I started reading at my Christmas service at church - and have done so for most of the 25 years I've been a minister.

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  16. We don't get 'fake' Christmas trees. When we cannot afford to go get a real tree we make one out of whatever we can come up with. One year it was a big green piece of fabric cut into tree shape, stapled to the wall, and paper ornaments stapled on it. Another year it was a twig stuck in a pot. We love our creative trees each year. We don't have ornaments either. We make them each year.

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  17. isn't it funny how most traditions revolve around celebrations? for me, the thing that has been done the longest is choosing what we eat or where we eat for dinner on your birthday. my parents did it with us, now i do it with my family. the other longest tradition is eating breakfast and getting dressed before opening presents on christmas day - another one my parents did, and i now do.

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  18. we add a special christmas ornament to each of our children's collection, when they are adults with their own families they will take them with them. the ornament reflects something they were into that year or a milestone accomplishment in their lives

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  19. We wait until 12/7 to decorate for Christmas. Our son was born on 12/6 and in order to keep his birthday special we don't do the whole Christmas thing until the day after. We decorate that night and when he wakes up the day after his birthday the house is decorated for him to enjoy.

    My husband's family introduced the tradition of Sunday dinner to me. We invite friends to come share Sunday dinner with us at least twice a month. It's the full thing--a meal that lasts until everyone is done eating and talking. Avg time 90 minutes to 180 minutes. Kids, parents, friends. Good food and good conversation. Best part is that my son and any other children get to enjoy it too.

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  20. I just came across your website for the first time today, I'm loving all your prompts and plan to pass your site along to my brother, who is a teacher working with troubled youth who is always on the lookout for great prompts to inspire his kids. He will love it!

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  21. Hi Baroness, Nicole, Pam, Jennifer and Heather!

    Baroness - Happy anniversary! What a treasure you have created. How wonderful to be able to go back and relive each special occasion!

    Nicole - I love how your mom took an occasion that she's not all that fond of and turned it into a celebration for three generations! Chili and costumes and family all together; it sounds like such fun.

    Pam - Ahh, Trivial Pursuit! Love how you put the {usually} in front of "have a great time." It's the same with my family and that particular game. Nothing brings together a big group like a shared challenge -- even if there are a few tears involved. And with the Wii, it sounds even better!

    Jennifer - Fondue at Christmas sounds perfectly heavenly! Such a warm, communal meal. And so many ways to enjoy fondue. A lovely tradition!

    Heather - What an amazing tradition. Such selflessness on your parents' part. Thank you so much for sharing this.

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  22. Hi Serra, Sowandsew, Roxann, Jeanelle and Lotus!

    Serra - Wow! My mom used to make costumes for my sister and I and I remember how much work it takes! And you make four different costumes. That is awesome! What a wonderful treasure for your children.

    Sowandsew - Wrapping presents and listening to carols on Christmas Eve; what a delightful tradition. Carols have a way of bringing out the magic and mystery of the holidays for me. Sounds like your mom had it right!

    Roxann - The first thing I had to do was Google the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. (Clearly I have been living in a cave for quite some time.) :) I am listening to Wizards in Winter as I write this. I can totally see why you look forward to your yearly trip!

    Jeanelle - Cupcakes and birthdays! Love your yummy tradition!

    Lotus - I am still smiling after reading about your tradition! I've always wondered if there was a way to spruce up that tired, old song and you guys have clearly found it. Awesome!

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  23. Hi Jessi, Amy, Christine, Angelica and Hillbilly Handiworks!

    Jessi - Great tradition! It's not always easy to look oneself in the mirror; to really look for a whole minute. Sounds like a special birthday present to yourself!

    Amy - I love this! Back to school always feels like a new beginning and how wonderful that you start it with a special one-on-one day for your children. I'll bet your children won't ever want the tradition to end either!

    Christine - Great post! I love that you used to make the call anonymously (before caller id (drat!) .) Such a fun birthday tradition!

    Angelica - Such a meaningful tradition. How wonderful that you're able to share your great aunt's story with your congregation!

    Hillbilly Handiworks - Making your own tree! I love it. An old tradition with new results every year!

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  24. Hi Cate, Beth, Poists and Courtney!

    Cate - I love traditions that have been passed through the generations! We do choose-your-own birthday dinners too, but at Christmas we lounge around in pajamas most of the day! :)

    Beth - Ornaments are such wonderful mementos of years gone by! The whole family story ends up on the tree for all to see. Lovely tradition!

    Poists - December must be the best month of the year for your son! (My sister has a December birthday too and we always make sure it's extra-special.) I think the best thing about Sunday dinner is what you've mentioned -- that there's no rush. Everyone eats until they're full and talks until they've finished the conversation. Not an easy thing to accomplish these days, but so worth the effort!

    Courtney - Thanks so much! I hope you (or your brother) will come back and let me know how it works out!

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  25. A tradition my parents had when I was growing up was making fruit cake the first Monday after Thanksgiving. I remember it because it was when they introduced the kids to knives to "cut" the candied cherries, the ONLY time we could have purple grape juice and the last thing was to mix in the fruit - one cup per child and it was to be mixed with a wish! It was a great tradition and kicked off the holiday season.

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  26. Ooo!!! Cake for your birthday breakfast is one my kids enjoy. I really like one I've borrowed from a friend's mom. Elves deliver new pjs on Christmas Eve which helps gear everyone one for bedtime on that wild night of waiting. When the elf has felt really witty, s/he writes a poem note too (and just a regular note when there's been a time crunch).

    Good friend indeed! Hugs to you. ;-)

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  27. When I was a little girl, a friend of my uncle gave me an ornament each year for Christmas. When I turned 18, I had my own collection of ornaments to use for decorating.

    When my little brother was born, (I was 16), I started that tradition with him. I still buy him ornaments and he's now 20!

    I also do this for my niece and nephew and now for my girls. Funny part is that the rest of my family (sister, SIL, MIL, parents) have all adopted this same tradition for my girls! So instead of one ornament each year, they get at least four! My oldest is 7 and she already has enough ornaments for her own tree!!

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