Happy November! Laura here, and with Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I thought now would be a good time to talk about giving thanks.
For most people, this time of year is a time of traditions. A time to gather with friends and family, share some awesome food, and maybe--if you're really lucky (or not so much so depending on your likes) a day watching television and taking football naps. Our household is no exception, allowing me to pass down those traditions my parents shared with me when I was little.
When our children were small, we started a new tradition. After all the food was on the table and before anyone got to take a bite, we go around the table and share what happened throughout the year that we're most thankful for. Usually, for them it was, and still is, that they've survived to see their latest birthday. Okay, good kids, but yeah, not the brightest bunch with their decision making sometimes. For me, it's usually giving thanks for my husband. Awesome guy who has helped me achieve my goals and given me those children I sometimes want to smack upside the head for their poor decision making skills :)
This year, my most thankful moments are split. Professionally, we've had so much to be thankful for. Two books already written and two more now under contract. An awesome cover (no, sorry, still haven't been given the okay to share this but believe me, as soon as we can, we'll post it!). An amazing agent and editor and a writing partner who without her, none of this would have been possible. And, in a little over five months our first book will hit the shelves. That's a lot of good happening to one person, or in our case, two. So how can anyone be thankful for anything more?
Well, for me, it's on the family side. In May, that great man I'm always thankful for suffered some sudden health issues. One minute, he was having a routine test run, the next he was scheduled for open heart surgery. Thankfully, he came through the operation, but that horrible moment of learning that my hero isn't Superman after all, even though he always tries to be, taught me something very important. One tick of the clock can really change your entire life. Traditions are great, but why does it have to be a set day on a calendar to make us appreciate and give thanks for the things we have?
My new tradition is making sure each day I give thanks for the things in my life. It doesn't matter if it's something little like I wrote 3 pages that didn't need a massive amount of editing. Could be that an entire day went by and I didn't have to dance on my head to get my toddlers to listen and stay out of the bathroom unless they have business to attend to--and that does not mean cleaning cars in the toilet! Some days it's simply that I got dinner cooked on time, baths given without flooding, and bedtime arrived while I still liked them all :). On tough days, it might even be nothing more than that in all the chaos, I found one thing to laugh about. Regardless of how big or small the event is, it's worth a nightly mention to let them know I'm proud of them, love them, and yeah still want to smack them.
So what are your traditions for this time of year? What special things do you and yours share that you'd like to be passed down for generations to come?
9 comments:
last year was one of our hardest years ever. Husband laid off, got great job, but had to move, husband got incredible sick (twice), grand dad died, grandma had to be put in a home for dementia. This year we are grateful to be healthy! One traditions of ours is the girls and I make a New Years cake (confetti cake with 4 different colored stripes and the new year written on it) We take a pic of the girls and the cake and then eat it.
What a lovely warm post! Thank you for reminding me what it is all about.Things have changed a lot with the death of my mother, the marriage of my oldest neice and my sister moving to Kansas. Our traditions have been torn asunder. :) Still when I have Thanksgiving with family they want Aunt Sharon's dressing and I am all too glad to make it.
Sharon S - Glad this year has shown you health. It sounds to me like you've put in your dues and earned it. And I love the New Year Cake! What an awesome tradition.
Sharon - thank you so much for your kind words. I love it when a family member has that one thing everyone just begs for. Makes the holidays a little more special knowing you have the one food item everyone's going to gobble up!
A family tradition I have started with my own family is on Thanksgiving Day, after dinner is made, thanks have been said, and the dishes have been left on the counter for "The man of the house," the whole family sets up the Christmas tree and decorations. I know it seams early but it’s always nice to spend that extra time with the family reminiscing about the past and those horrid photos that always get turn into ornaments, or your handprints, from when you we’re 10 (or so,) that we’re turned in to what was supposed to be a reindeer. And it’s wonderful seeing my three year old grab her face like that silly kid from the Home Alone and say "It’s so beautiful"
Not sure I'd every set my tree up that early, LOL! I understand why a lot of people do, but for me, I get tired of looking at it. There are more than a couple of those 'horrid' photos that I adore that make it onto my tree when I finally get around to putting it up. And see, if a toddler can find it beautiful, you understand why moms always keep that stuff...and it's not always to torment.
First off, I wanted to say how happy I am for you that your husband came through his surgery all right. Three years ago, my mother spent two weeks in the hospital recovering from a serious bout of emphysema. The year after that she had a mild heart attack. Since then, our family has given thanks every year for our continued good health, or for the fact that we've recovered from whatever life had to throw at us. This year? So far, so good! I'm hungry for turkey!
Great post - in Australia we don't have thanksgiving - but maybe we should. But I also like the thought of giving thanks every day.
Sharon ((((S. HUGS))))
Thanksgiving is not a New Zealand tradition either--I do think it's very North American, with the wonderful story of the Pilgrim Fathers and the American Indians bringing them the turkeys and corn when they were starving. But I do think that it is a great idea to have a date for giving thanks, just to remind us that it's a good thing to do at other times as well. And maybe to think about, or even do, something for someone, somewhere we know is not so well off.
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