#147 Christmas Traditions
Some traditions slowly fade away while others live on
From the time our son was very small, my wife and I took him to the local Hallmark store to pick out a Christmas ornament to put on the tree. The store was a small locally-owned outfit called Matt’s Newsstand, connected to a hardware store called Homefolks - a throwback to a simpler time, as they say.
Like most kids, there comes a time in their teenage years when they are no longer interested in such things. His waning interest coincided timewise with the closing of the small store.
Let’s fast forward eight or ten years to Christmas 2023. My son is now twenty-four years old and has recently moved in to a nice little apartment, where his first Christmas tree proudly stands in a corner.
In keeping with his childhood tradition, he took his girlfriend to a Hallmark store to buy their first yearly ornament for the tree.
Those of you who have read my stories know how big a deal him taking an interest in these little milestones are really is.
This year, in honor of his new apartment and his growth as a person, my wife and I plan to start a new tradition. Beginning this year we will gift-wrap one of his childhood ornaments in its original box to give him for his own tree.
Like many families, our family has traditions that began many generations ago. Some are slowly fading while others live on.
Even treasured little gems such Matt’s Newsstand and Homefolks fade away with time.
Like many families, my wife and I created a few of our own to pass on to our kid. With time, some will fade away, and some will live on.
Life is like that.
Share with me, if you wish, a short story about one of your traditions.
It seems like I do all the talking on here. I’d like to hear from more of you.
Thank you for taking a few minutes each week to read my posts.
We are only half way through the journey - Book Three begins in a few weeks.