We have had the tradition of going to pick out the Christmas tree in November at the tree farm with our four children for the past 13 years. Every year the nice kids who tag the tree for you take your family's picture with your tree and then about 3-4 weeks later you go back and cut your tree down and retrieve your picture. We have 13 pictures in frames.
This year two kids had to work on the scheduled opening weekend of the tree farm, one was out of town and the other... sleeping. They are 22, 21, 20 and 20... and these family traditions just don't seem quite so important to them. Oh, I could have forced the issue, made a fuss and they would have found a way. But I think that it is okay this year to let them "out" of it. They will soon have their own families (yikes!) and start their own traditions. And perhaps it is time for Hubby and me to start a new one of our own. Maybe just him and I will go and pick, not the biggest tree we can find, but a small one. Maybe we will start going again and getting a picture when there are grandchildren to chase around the tree farm playing hide & seek or Marco Polo. (Hopefully not for quite a few more years though.)
Yes, I will be a bit sad not to put a new picture in a frame this year. But also just as happy to see all the ones up there that are framed. See my children grow through each year's picture and realize that I raised happy, healthy children who have grown into strong, independent adults. I think that is a fine tradition.
* This picture is from about 6 years ago, a duplicate I had handy to grab a photo of. That is Hubby and Laura Jayne (me) and Jessica, Matt, Aimee and Mitch.
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Written for the prompt at the new writing site I found this morning - Sunday Scribblings.
2 comments:
What a great tradition--I love the photo idea--such a great way to capture it! You are right, having those 13 photos is evidence and reminder enough of the children you raised into adulthood. While your kids may seem not to appreciate the tradition anymore, I bet it is one of the first things they mention if anyone ever asks them about how they celebrated the holidays! I think you and your hubby should just go on your own--it's just as much YOUR tradition as it is your family's tradition! Have a wonderful holiday!
I'm all teared up now, LJ :o) - but in a good way. I'm thinking ahead of me to the day when mine won't be so enthusiastic of the traditions we've made as a family. Having three boys, I know that there will be a day; although, right now - my oldest holds me to the traditions that he really enjoys the most.
Every year, we go hunting to the library - choosing out umpteen books, bringing them home to wrap with Christmas paper and setting them underneath the tree. Each night, each boy grabs a book (not knowing what it is) and unwraps it. Now with the three boys...imagine the amount of library books we have. It's so much fun...even my hubby got involved with the wrapping of them this year.
Just my thoughts to share with you. I appreciate you sharing yours and the tree hunting tradition.
Good memories :o) ~ they're always in the making, aren't they though?
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