So why all the traditions? 9

I guess people may wonder why I am such a big fan of traditions and why we have so many as a family?

This is hard to write, but I think putting in down in writing may lay aside some old worries and ghosts of times past.

I worry that this time next year or the year after that I may not be here with my wonderful family.  I know that may sound trite, but it isn’t.  Yes I don’t have any cancer now, but even after all the precautions I have taken, I am still at more of a risk than most people of dying of a cancer related to by BRCA 1 spelling mistake in my genes.

So I thought it would be a good thing to have our own traditions, to help hold on to the precious memories for MadDad and the boys.  Something that in the years to come they can think about and might evoke a thought about a special time.  Like the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg in the Christmas Pudding could make them think of our Stir it up Sundays or remembering where a particular tree ornament came from.

I hope they grow up to understand that advent is all about family, not the chocolates from the calender and cherish that the fun and togetherness we had reading the Christmas story each meal time.  I long for them to have advent activities with their children and tell them that where they originated from, for them to walk and look at the Christmas lights with their own family too.

I have traditions that are carried down from my parents, the first footing that we do on New Years Eve, when some one with  go out the back door and walk round to the front and be the first person in the front door.  With them they carry  a  coin, bread, salt and a piece of coal to represent prosperity, food, flavour and warmth.  This takes the emphasis of staying awake till midnight until the morning and then we always have a special breakfast of home made pancakes.

We also have traditions that we have created to make our life easier like the Christmas Eve Elves, who bring things to keep the boys occupied too.

So there you have it.  I love traditions as they reinforce the memories.  They might not remember a specific time, but over years the times will melt and blur in to one and the tradition will hold true and hopefully when they think back they will realise that as with everything I do for them I do it with love.