There seem to be two ends of the spectrum when it comes to traditions: those that you love and cherish, looking forward to at every interval they come around and those that you dread having to participate in, groaning at the very thought of having to do so.
But, no matter which end of the spectrum the majority of the traditions you have fall on, traditions are a large part of making every day special. Spending time with friends and family on a regular interval is nice but when it boils down to it, it's the activities that you participate in that really make traditions worth repeating.
Family members may bring up awkward situations and old feuds when the time comes for these traditions to be carried out, painful thoughts may be brought to the forefront of your mind, you may have to (heaven forbid) get up early to go see loved ones. You may have to have some uncomfortable conversations with old friends, overcome some awkward silences at the dinner table, force a smile when you open a box of the same store-bought fruitcake you receive from your grandmother every year. Let's face it: some traditions are dreaded because they're awkward and some because they just suck.
But before you moan and groan on your way to the car, strapping yourself in beside your three-year-old cousin as she sings "Jingle Bells" for the hundredth time, stop and look around. How are the people around you acting right now? What are they saying? How are they acting? How do these traditions make them feel?
As I've grown older, I've started to truly appreciate annual traditions that I once thought were stupid and pointless. Helping in the kitchen for Thanksgiving, spending Thanksgiving morning unloading Christmas trees from a flatbed truck, baking endless amounts of cookies for the "Pusser Christmas Tree Party" every year (forbidden to eat any) decorating the Christmas Tree while my brother uses tinsel to torment the family cat, spending all Christmas day at my grandpa's house for his birthday instead of staying home to play with new presents.
When I was little, all of these things seemed annoying and wasteful of my precious time. Now that I'm a little bit older and understand how much these traditions mean to my friends, family, and even community, I finally understand the true value of traditions. Traditions bring that "warm and fuzzy" feeling up in the hearts of many, myself included now, and doing things that make other people happy is what I consider to truly be "the gift that keeps on giving."
As the holiday season rolls around you may find yourself dreading the traditions that come with the holidays: family dinners, decorating the Christmas tree, hanging lights on the outside of the house, baking Christmas cookies, waking up early on Christmas morning to open presents and make a big breakfast. Doing these things to spend time with family and friends is not only a great way to please mom and grandma, but they're also great ways to truly connect with those that are closer to you and perhaps even learn something about yourself.
Traditions may not necessarily be "fun" in the moment but one day you may very well find yourself doing the exact same things with your own family, a smile on your face and a warm glow bubbling in your heart.
But, no matter how old I am, I will always look forward to advent stockings every Christmas. Even if that means hanging baby socks from the ceiling in my dorm room.
