Change v Tradition – Day #8
Change and tradition can be uncomfortable bed fellows. They are contradictory in nature with one trying to hold the status quo whilst the other tries to move old to new.
The festive season surrounds us with this tension all the time. Take the cards we send. The pictures are invariably of robins, the nativity, Santa or Victorian streets covered with snow. I can remember snow at Christmas time but (it may surprise you) I am not old enough to remember the Victorian age but it is part of the tradition that we look for that seems to give us comfort.
The stores and television remind us that it should be a season of plenty with so much food your stomach turns just looking at the pictures. Women especially are put under a lot of pressure to match the tradition of spending most of the day in the kitchen whilst the rest of the family watch the traditional speech from the Queen.
We then have the change aspect of the season. From midnight on 31st December we will be under pressure to change.
- Change our size despite the previous week being expected to eat for England.
- Change our outlook despite over the holiday being reminded of the good old days
- Change our attitudes with one another despite having argued for most of the holiday
This series of ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ is not only linked to Embrace Happy over on Face Book but also Christmas icons. The one for today is the snowman because there is no-one like him who has to go through a change despite being traditional. The cheery chap at the top of the page was another of Rochester’s delights.
The reason I choose a snowman for this theme was because of ours. No, we don’t have one obviously as it would melt but we did have a striking chap who would stand to attention with other items. Taking him out of the box, we saw signs that a change may be due. His wire arms that we so carefully bent up and back were looking very weak and some of his paint had been chipped.
He has been changed for a Christmas tree model which, as this post ‘Comfort’ explains seem to be a passion in our house.
So, at least our traditional festival has included a certain amount of change!
What about yours?
Tradition is fun, but you’re right: it leads to unrealistic expectations, bittersweet memories, and so much stress, it’s amazing any of us make it to the next year. I love change; in fact, in the middle of the Christmas hullabaloo this year, I decided already that next year, we’re doing Hanukkah, and the next year, we’re going to try something else. Who says the holidays have to be the same? Thanks for a thought-provoking post!
Thank you for stropping by & do share your adventure next year!
I love the 12 days of Christmas. Never thought about the cards being traditional. I seem to only send them out to a select few. Also with no kids in the house my tree has gotten a lot smaller for the presents are bigger and don’t usually fit under the tree.
It’s just hubby & I at home now. We save through the year for Christmas so can make the pile a little bigger than one or two. Mainly little things. Have a wonderful time!