Family Traditions

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines culture as “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.” Every family has their own culture and as an important part of that culture, every family has traditions. 

Growing up, my family had many traditions. I grew up in a religious home where we studied scriptures, prayed, and learned of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Some of our traditions included doing these things together as a family. We attended church together weekly, and dedicated time each week to spend together as a family. We also had family dinners together most nights when we didn’t have something else going on. 

Another tradition my family had was to go to St. George, Utah every Spring Break. We would spend the week hiking, swimming, and enjoying time together. It was also nice to get out of the cold of Idaho and enjoy the warm sun. 

Holidays also provide opportunities for families to create traditions. On Christmas Eve, my family had the tradition of reading Luke chapter 2 in the Bible, which tells the story of the birth of Christ. We would have a big breakfast on Christmas morning complete with French toast, fried potatoes, and bacon. 

I lived in Mexico for a year and a half as a missionary, and the traditions in Mexico differed greatly from my family traditions. Thanksgiving is a holiday that isn’t celebrated in Mexico, and for Christmas, the celebrations last through December to January. Piñatas were a typical part of the Christmas festivities. Foods such as pozole and tamales were also common around holiday time. It was a great experience for me to live in another country and experience other traditions. Not only did I love the traditions I was able to experience, but I also gained a greater appreciation for my family’s traditions. 

Just as traditions vary with different cultures, they also vary with families. My husband’s family has a tradition of playing basketball outside together whenever all of the brothers are in town and the weather is nice enough. They will spend hours playing 2 on 2 and other games. 

When it comes to the holidays and other celebrations, his family’s traditions differed from mine. They opened new pajamas on Christmas Eve. They would also have cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning. On birthdays, they would go out to lunch with their dad, and they would always try to go on trip before the school year started. 

Now that my husband and I are creating our own family, we have the choice of which traditions we would like to continue and which ones we will change. We have continued the tradition of having a Christ centered home and we will pray together, read scriptures together and learn together. We spend most of the holidays with our families of origin, so we haven’t had the chance to develop our own traditions, but we look forward to implementing them in our own home. 

I believe the best types of traditions are those that promote time together as family. If we have traditions that separate us from family, and promote individual importance over the importance of family, or traditions that are bad for our health or well-being, I think those are best to be discarded. If used correctly, traditions help us strengthen family relationships and develop a strong family culture. I also believe that traditions should teach strong principles and the importance of family togetherness. 

As my husband and I create our own family cultures, we strive to create traditions that support family relationships and will bring us closer together. I am grateful for the cultures of our families and the experiences we were able to have to strengthen our relationships and help us learn. I am grateful for my family culture.