Tradition!
Dec 22nd 2008
Karen RoseOn Writing!
It’s a nice word, tradition. For you word-o-philes, it comes from trans = transfer and datum = something given. It means to hand over, hand down, entrust. I like that.
Traditions can come from faith, family, culture, or combinations of all of these. But what traditions have in common is that they tie us back to the past, whether it be thousands of years or only a few. They tie us to those who came before and keep alive the spirit of what we hold dear.
This seems a good time of year to think about this topic, although the incident that spurred my thoughts was not holiday based.
Last week, my good friend and karate teacher earned her black belt. (That’s us together. Isn’t she lovely?) It was the culmination of years of her hard work and dedication. Earning of all belts is a cause of celebration in the dojo, but the earning of the black belt is something very special. My friend was not alone in her celebration – several others either earned black belts or were advanced a black belt degree, or Dan. It was a beautiful time, a gathering of friends and family to pay tribute to the sacrifice of those honored, and to their teachers. Each honoree gave a small 
speech and by the end, sitting in the audience, I was unapologetically crying.
And so were some of the black belts who’d traveled the same road. Theirs were tears of pride, understanding, and a connection to what had come before. I liked that. I felt included, part of something bigger than myself.
Not all traditions have to be so big and sweeping. I thought of another tradition a few days ago, when I opened the box of cookies my mom had made herself and sent for Christmas. She’d made peanut butter cookies, with a Hershey’s kiss in the middle. I don’t think it’s a proper PB cookie without the kiss, because that’s the way my mom always made them. When I make them, I do that too. It’s a small thing, but tradition jus
t the same.
What are your favorite traditions? How long have they been handed down? I’m thinking this time of year, it’ll be easier to think of a holiday tradition, but do you have any that you do at other times of the year? Who started them? And why are they important to you?
47 Comments »
47 Responses to “Tradition!”
Kendra on 22 Dec 2008 at 1:39 am #
Because my mother was a ER nurse and had to work noon to midnight on Christmas for years while I was growing up, we started our extended family present opening at 6 AM. At first we moaned and groaned about the early hour. Everyone had to get dressed, breakfast had to be started, and each person needed coffee or hot chocolate in hand before we sat down to do the orderly opening of the presents one at a time.
Now we love to start early and drag out the day. Every now and then one of my siblings will suggest a later hour, but they’re always shot down.
Traditions are important. Especially for children. Mine keep a mental list of our Christmas season activities and remind me if we haven’t frosted sugar cookies or donated to the toy drive or bought their personal ornament for that year.
Karen, have you received any emails from me?
Janae on 22 Dec 2008 at 2:14 am #
Growing up we had a rule that no one was allowed in the living room before 6 am. We could get our stockings, hang out in someone’s room (usually started around 3 am), and 6 am we’d open our presents. That would be followed by a big breakfast. I have to say that the hours that we spent hanging out in someone’s room, was some of the best times I had with my 4 younger siblings. Fortunately, my children don’t wake up that early on Christmas, but should they change, I’ll institute the 6 am rule.
Something that we’ve continued with a twist and not such a huge scale, is candy making. My mom used to make divinity to give to half of my small hometown. I don’t do divinity; I do caramel and give it to about 10-20 people. However, I don’t let my children make the caramel like my mom did with the divinity. I don’t remember how old I was at the time, but one year, I got a second degree burn on my right hand from the divinity. I remember how bad it hurt, and I don’t want that to happen to my children.
Samantha on 22 Dec 2008 at 2:37 am #
Ah Peanut Blossoms! Most definitely a tradition in our family, we’ve been making them so long I don’t remember when it started. We have started a new tradition just for my kids, on christmas eve we get to open 1 present, the one with new jammies in it, that way everyone looks spiffy for the pictures in the morning.
We also always eat black eyed peas for New Year’s. It is supposed to bring good luck according to snopes.com. I just remember gagging them down every year (and still do even though I’m the one to cook them).
Lisa H on 22 Dec 2008 at 6:59 am #
Janae – what’s divinity?
We had traditions when I was a little girl until both my grandparents died when I was only 13. My parents were so heartbroken, we barely celebrated Holidays over the next few years. After my brother and I got married and started having kids, we began to re-new those traditions we had when our grandma and grandpa were alive. Now we have nice Christmases again.
We have begun a new tradition of eating an elegant meal on Christmas Eve around 4:00. Then we go to church for Christmas Eve service, then we come back home and open presents from each other, have appetizers and desserts and play cards all night. In the morning, the kids open what Santa has brought and grandma and grandpa stop by to see what the kids received.
Cail on 22 Dec 2008 at 8:03 am #
well, traditionally we’d go visit my relatives in VT for a few days around xmas time. On xmas eve, we went either to my grandparents church for services or a really cool historic church that did non-denominational services. we typically had a soup based meal for supper that night. xmas day my immediate family would open stockings (that was all we got from our parents, no trace of santa around) and then we’d do the huge family celebration from like 10 to 5 or so and do presents, eat appetizers and a huge mid-day dinner.
i’ll miss that this year. i’ll be having my first xmas with the DH’s fam. We spend xmas eve with his mom and her family, and xmas day with his dad and his family. should be oodles of fun.
tomorrow i’ll be making my annual cookie batch. not sure how many i’ll make this year, but its bound to be a lot!
Karen Hawkins on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:10 am #
Karen, congratulations to your teacher. I know that’s a very rare, very special honor. She must have worked so hard to earn it!
I loooove traditions! And I bow to some and have started a few myself.
My parents always gave us stockings until we were married. Before then, even when I was in my early twenties, I got a stocking filled with fun little stuff — puzzles and pencils, candy and gift cards. I do the same for my kids now, although they’re both in college.
A tradition I began myself — we open presents the night before, so we can snooze in the mornings and then get up late, enjoy our gifts, have a leisurely breakfast and begin family visits. I also have a box full of little toys from the kids’ childhood, and happy meal toys. Every year, I pull out a few and we make them into Christmas ornaments, much to my kids’ chagrin. My son, who is 18, still rummages through the box, pulls out one of the many hot wheels cars, and says, “Hey! How did this get in here? I was still playing with it!” That’s become a tradition, too!
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:12 am #
Kendra, you’re right, traditions are important. I think your mom was wise to start that tradition, to give you all that family time.
And here’s a huge thank you to all the nurses, doctors, cops, firefighters, soldiers – anyone who works Christmas to keep the rest of us
Thank you also to families like Kendra’s who shared with the rest of us.
We are in your debt.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:18 am #
Janae, how very sweet that you had that time with your siblings growing up! LOL on the 6 am rule.
I’m the only one up that early on Christmas. I’m always waiting anxiosly for everyone else to wake up.
What is divinity? I’ve read about it in historical books, but have never tasted it. I got the impression it was really sweet.
My husband always makes Allentown cookies. It’s from his childhood.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:26 am #
Samantha, cute idea on the jammies!
I remember eating black-eyed peas at my Maw-maw’s, but I can’t remember if it was at New Year’s or not. I do remember liking them, but I also liked the liver mush she made. Later I had liver mush again as an adult and nearly died!
Perhaps some traditions make better memories?
jessie on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:27 am #
Congratulations to your teacher!
I just asked my mom, and she said divinity is sugar and caro syrup heated up, then whipped with egg whites, or something like that. She used to make it for her brother every Christmas because chocolate gave him migraine headaches. I’ve never had it, or seen it, so she said we could make some tomorrow (when we’re making chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sugar cookies, and lemon squares). We’ll be renewing the tradition!
One of our most loved holiday traditions is watching A CHRISTMAS CAROL with George C. Scott on Christmas Eve. That’s definitely my favorite version. We also always have a light tray of snacks for dinner while we open presents, but this year my mom wants to make lasagna. Go figure.
I’m sure we have them, but I can’t think of any non-holiday traditions…hmm, now I’m curious. Better consult mi madre again.
Louisa Cornell on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:29 am #
My Mom makes Divinity and Fudge, Potato Chip Cookies and Peanut butter Balls every year for Christmas. Every year she says she won’t and every year we say “But Mom, it’s tradition!” Divinity is a while candy confection made from sugar and Karo syrup cooked down to a very specific consistency and then beaten until it looks like a meringue. It is DIVINE, hence the name!
Our traditions involve my niece and nephews putting out my Mom’s Christmas decorations and putting up her tree the day after Thanksgiving. And the last thing they do is set up my Dad’s Christmas train around the Christmas tree. My Dad was a HUGE kid about Christmas so now that he is no longer with us the traditions he started are very important to us.
Another tradition is my Mom’s chicken and dumplings in addition to all of the other Christmas food. The leftover chicken and dumplings are put in a tupperware bowl and my youngest brother and try to hide them from each other until it is time for us to leave. Whoever has custody of the bowl last gets the leftover chicken and dumplings. My niece and nephews get a kick out of it and try to help me outwit their Dad!
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:36 am #
My husband and I have had a holiday tradition of eating pate and brie and assorted expensive finger food on Christmas Eve. This year, however, I can’t really eat it, so we’re having to find a new tradition. Ack!
SidneyKay on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:39 am #
Divinity candy is very pretty white candy. It’s hard to make, and I’ve have many failures. It’s made from sugar, egg whites, karo syrup, vanilla, water. It’s one of those candies that you boil to make a thread with, which when I was a child I got to eat the ball of soft taffy like syrup after it was put in cold water to form a ball. Once you make the syrup stuff you slowly pour it into the stiff egg whites, beat till no longer glossy, then burn your little fingers trying to slide the hot candy from the spoon to wax paper. If they are done correctly there should be a fluffy teeth hurting white candy there for you when they cool. This was always one of my favorite candies to WATCH my mother make. My daughter and I make candy and cookies every year for Christmas, this year we were hit by an ice storm, very pretty but our electricity was just restored after 3 days and there are some people who are still out. I feel so happy, because tonight I get to sleep in my own bed.
Sarah Tormey on 22 Dec 2008 at 9:59 am #
In my family, the holidays simply would not be the holidays without an imposing group of Italian relatives. When I was growing up every year on Christmas day, aunts, uncles and cousins arrived for a traditional Italian feast (or at least my father insists his clam sauce is a long standing tradition.) When I was much younger, I remember trying to clear the pasta bowls from the table only to find my Uncle Nino had decided to take a nap facedown in his bowl. It seemed there was a limit to how much wine some of my relatives could consume and still stay awake throughout the meal.
Over the years, Christmas dinner has become a simpler affair with only a handful of relatives attending. Yet the mayhem from my childhood has seemingly influenced my writing–to learn more visit my blog at http://www.sarahtormey.com where today I’m discussing rakish heros overwhelmed by family.
elsiehogarth on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:06 am #
Karen, Congratulations to everyone in your Dojo. Wonderful achievement and dedication.
Since my Mom is Spanish, along with Christmas we have always celebrated “The Three Kings Day” in January. We give each other a little something. A lot of times it’s a toy since it is really a day for children. So we use our stockings to place our small gift. Most of the time we like what is in our stocking more than the other gifts we receive.
Margaret on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:06 am #
Oh SidneyKay! I’m glad you have power again and hope that all will be restored soon. We don’t realize how big a factor electricity plays in our lives until it’s out. Mine goes out every so often for several hours at a time. The joy of country living.
The only tradition I can think of is one I have now. The annual gathering of the clan at one of the now grown kid’s house for food, presents, talk, laughter, etc. Plus the guys have played touch football every year the weather permitted. This year looks to be one where it will. Of course, the guys are getting a bit long in the tooth for all that running and passing. LOL Olivia the jockette makes them suck it in and gives them a run for their money. They can’t let that little dab of a girl beat them. Have I mentioned she played youth football on a boy’s team for 6 years and 1 year on the high school junior varsity? heh heh
Black-eyed peas and ham for New Year’s Day is supposed to bring good luck. Here in Amish country, it’s pork and sauerkraut. A lot of volunteer fire companies have dinners that day to raise funds. It’s very festive. And there’s always football.
Margaret on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:09 am #
I’ve always thought Boxing Day sounded like a neat thing after I found out it had nothing to do with fisticuffs.
We need to hear from our Brits about traditions in Merry Old England!
Louisa, that’s funny about the chicken & dumplings. Isn’t it any good? Or you all just don’t want to take leftovers home? It sounds better than leftover turkey to me.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:51 am #
Lisa H – how sad that you lost your traditions after losing your grandparents! Grief can make some traditions sweeter, but some more painful, I know. I’m glad you and your brother have reinstated them.
Your new tradition sounds wonderful!
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:54 am #
Cail, hugs on your first holiday away from your family! We’re all spread out, and I’m on deadline this year, so we’re staying home.
Seems like my deadlines always fall around Jan 1… It’s a leftover tradition from when I had too many jobs and lots of writing happened between Christmas and New Years.
I hope your holidays with DH’s family go well. And send a few of those cookies to Mt. Oly!
Claudia Dain on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:56 am #
It’s so hard not to think of Christmas traditions at Christmas time! Talk about Brain Lock.
Okay, trying to un-Christmas my brain…a tradition of ours is to eat at the dining room table for dinner every night. My mother did it, and so did her mother. Kitchens were for cooking and dining rooms were for eating. That’s a tradition I kept. I wonder if my kids will?
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:59 am #
KarenH – what a cute idea to make ornaments out of your kids’ old toys! I’m sure I’ve long thrown those old happy meal toys away. (Claudia should be proud.)
DH always does the stockings in our house and finds such fun stuff to fill them with. Unfortunately his stocking is left to me, and I have totally sucked at stockings in the past. But this year I am READY! I have the Marie Antoinette Action Figure with Ejectable Head for his stocking! It will satisfy the history teacher and stunted middle schooler within him. I totally rock at stockings this year.
I will pass your congratulations to my teacher! She totally deserves it. Not only has she earned her black belt, but she competes and is the National champion in many karate events. She makes us all very proud of her.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 11:04 am #
Jessie, again, thanks on behalf of my teacher!
I thought divinity sounded sweet. I read about it in an old LaVyrle Spencer book, VOWS. Tom Jeffcoat has just confessed his love for Emily, who is Charles’s fiance (oops) and says referring the only other local female prospect in town (whose name is Tarsy), “I tried Tarsy, but she was like too much divinity, you know?”
For a while I thought that meant Tarsy was too goody-two-shoes, like an angel, but that confused, because she was something of a Historical Ho. Then I realized divinity was a dessert and that made everything so much clearer.
Now I fully understand that scene! Divinity is to eat, not halos and the heavenly host!
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Dec 2008 at 11:06 am #
My mom and her three girls make cookies every year before Christmas, then hand them out to neighbors, teachers, friends, etc. Now with the two boys, it’s not a girlie thing anymore, but it IS even more fun. This year the three-year-old kept sneaking by the peanut butter cookies and plucked off all the Hershey’s kisses and ate them.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 11:11 am #
Oh, and Jessie, have fun making sweets with your mom. That sounds so nice.
Louisa, thanks also for the divinity explanation! What a fun chicken and dumpling tradition. C and D is one of my favorite comfort meals. Haven’t had them in a long while…
How sweet that they put your Dad’s train up at Christmas. Not sure why, but there’s something very nostalgic and Christmasy about toy trains for me.
Speaking of toy trains, if you haven’t seen Holiday Affair with Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh and Wendell Corey, it’s on Turner Classic Movies on Christmas Eve at 12:45. Nice holiday tradition, wonderful movie!
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 11:23 am #
Suzanne – isn’t plucking off the kisses and eating them part of the tradition?
Sidney, I’m glad you have your power back! Now I am getting a picture of why nobody makes divinity anymore. It’s darn hard to do, and perilous to boot! When I was a chemistry teacher, we did a lab on supersaturated solutions by making rock candy. I burnt myself pretty badly with that hot sugar water.
I say, buy those blocks of cookie dough and eat them while they’re still doughy and cold. It’s yummy and not dangerous at all! LOL.
Well, actually, I’m serious about that part. I love Toll House Cookie Dough.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 11:28 am #
Sarah, LOL. Poor Uncle Nino.
In one of my books, the victim would have been found face down in the bowl, somehow strangled with pasta. I’m sure it can be done, somehow.
Elsie – I always thought it was cool to extend the holidays on the front end with the Advent Candle and on the back end with Three Kings and Boxing holidays. And toys for grownups is a grand idea. I find myself liking toys more the older I get.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 11:32 am #
Margaret, I thought that Boxing Day sounded less fun when I found out it wasn’t fisticuffs, ha!
My family never played football. They sure watched a lot of it, though. I never quite got why the men were allowed to sit down and watch football while the womenfolk cleaned up. That’s a tradition we changed!!
DH does the food, we share the cleanup, but usually many hours later.
This year we’re having Turducken for the first time. I’m looking forward to it!
dbrown3400 on 22 Dec 2008 at 12:38 pm #
One tradition we carried over from my childhood was the contents of our Christmas stockings. Each had an apple, an orange, and a candy cane. Later on gifts were added but I’m sure that’s all my parents could afford when I was little. Sometimes, the best gifts from my ex were in my stocking.
One tradition I have with my older daughter happens after Christmas. In January I treat her to a shopping trip to buy MAC cosmetics. We make a day out of it, hitting the food court for some chicken teriyaki and window shopping. Occasionally, she’ll hit me up for a new sweater or pair of jeans that’s a good after Christmas bargain. It’s the only time of the year I’ll browse for clothes–for her, not me. I HATE shopping that way for myself.
Freshechelle on 22 Dec 2008 at 1:08 pm #
We have a Mother’s Day tradition of getting dressed for for a nice restaurant and then going to Callahan’s road stand for hot dogs and fries with cheese or gravy – pick your poison. It started when I was a teen, we we’re on the way to a nice Italian place then realized none of us were in the mood for that, most importantly Mom wasn’t. My dad has always been generous about taking us to dinner all year round no matter how old we are or how much we can afford to pick up a check. It’s nice to not have to compete for a table on Mother’s Day.
Lisa H on 22 Dec 2008 at 1:10 pm #
Oh, another little tradition is storybook lifesavers in all the kids’ stockings! They look forward to it every year!
Thank you Karen R. It was a sad time, but time goes on and we have bounced back well. I put a special tablecloth on my table every year. It belonged to my grandmother, my mother made it by embroidering Christmassy items around the bottom. Bells, Angels, Christmas Trees, A Candle. We only use it on Chirstmas Eve, and we always cover it with clear plastic! (sad but true)
Freshechelle on 22 Dec 2008 at 1:12 pm #
We’ve started a new tradition “Family Story Bingo” because the same relatives have been telling the same freakin’ stories at every family gathering since the day each story occurred. My cousins and I have turned it into an event now and shout “Bingo” every time an aunt launches another story we’ve all heard a million times.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 22 Dec 2008 at 2:24 pm #
our traditional birthday cakes were covered with divinity frosting. yummy! we didn’t use corn or karo syrup though, just brown sugar and a teeny bit of water to start it boiling to 240F to thread into the stiff egg whites.
I had to prove to mom I could do it to pass her test to carry oin the tradition. That alos went for the Christmas Eve meat pies.
My sister made the filling this year and the morning of the 24th, I’m heading over to crust them all with pie crust.
One tradition I could do without is my annual laryngitis. I’ve been lucky enough to skip a few years, but with my senior sitting this year , the air is ripe with buggies that the flu shot didn’t get.
I feel a quiet Christmas coming on. Or louder for me considering I use a hand clapper or a tamborine to talk to people!
Kathy/Cookiedough on 22 Dec 2008 at 2:25 pm #
Lisa H, I was looking wistfully at the Lifesaver “story” books Saturday at the grocery store. the way my throat feels today, I should have bought myself a box!
Karie on 22 Dec 2008 at 2:41 pm #
Our non-holiday tradition is to see who calls the person who’s birthday it is first. It’s all fun and games untill you are the birthday person and get bombarded with calls at 12.01 in the morning. At the end of the day, sometimes the calls are better than the presents. Side note-It’s always nice to get the delivery of flowers from the person that forgets to call altogether. haha.
Up until last year we had a whole family tradition to meet up at our BIL and SIL’s house for Christmas breakfast. SIL made everything!! It was great because you sure work up an appetite opening all the gifts. That BIL and SIL got divorced last year so it’s something we do on our own now. It’s just a little something I hope my son will want to do when he is older and starts his family.
Oh and EVERY year since I’ve been married to DH (going on 8 years now), that I can remember, we have watched A Christmas Story. Darn near allllllll 24 hours of the friggin marathon. For the last couple of years dh has pulled out Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas for my son to watch. After 2 viewings I am ready to switch back to A Christmas Story.
Paula on 22 Dec 2008 at 4:39 pm #
Janae in our house we have a ‘Santa’ rule for my boys that is if you don’t go to bed and sleep quickly and if you wake up too early santa may miss you out as if you are waake he won’t come calling and he doesn’t do return visits!! So far it has worked. As a child I can remeber my siblings and I used to go into mum and dad at some ungodly hour of the morning and were sent back to bed as it was too early!!
Margaret in the UK there are so many tradtions at Christmas one of which is hanging Mistletoe up and kissing people under it! Where is yesterday’s FROS, there is never one nearby when you need one!!
We used to have the January sales which used to start on 2nd of January but now they begin on Boxing Day or as is this year before Christmas!
When I was a child we always used to have stockings before breakfast then we would all have jobs to do , helping sort lunch or helping Dad on the farm. if we had people staying then the men would go to the pub for a drink then we would have lunch about 1.30/2pm then watch the Queen’s speech and then all go for a walk. Turkey sandwiches for tea are a must. Mince pies are a must at Christmas, along with Christmas Cake contd…
Paula on 22 Dec 2008 at 4:44 pm #
Christmas is a fruit cake with marzipan and icing on it.
In our house we have chocolates on the tree and the boys are allowed one each night (they haven’t realised that I eat them too!!). We had these as children too.
I still like watching the Queen’s speech at 3pm on the BBC, it is just a part of Christmas. I can remember as a child the Christmas day film used to be Mary Poppins or the Sound of Music after a few years this used to get boring!
If I think of any more traditions I’ll let you know but that is all I can think of for now.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 22 Dec 2008 at 5:24 pm #
Paula, because I live in Canada, a Commonwealth country, we have the Queen’s speech on too! We don’t watch it as much as we used to when I was a child,but it is still part of our tradition.
Judy F on 22 Dec 2008 at 6:25 pm #
growing up we had to wait until 5 am to get up. My brother would always drag us out of bed long before the time. LOL
We always had stockings up for St Nick. Up until a few years ago a good friend would stop by with a st Nick gift for me. But she fell on hard times and I understand completely.
Dad would make us scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. Then around 3 the grandparents would come over. Now we have been going over my sisters. We used to do gifts in this nice orderly fashion by youngest to oldest. Now we are back for a free for all.
I used to make cookies, a ton of them but my sil more or less took that over so I don’t bake anymore.
Karen Ro… sadly Santa from that house on Galbraith passed away on Sunday. He had pancreatic cancer. He is going to be so missed
Judy F on 22 Dec 2008 at 6:26 pm #
Congrats to your teacher too
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 6:51 pm #
Judy, that makes me so sad. He will be missed. I’ll forever remember him as Santa’s Uncle Ted.
So, Paula – people really do fruitcake? I’m wondering if our fruitcake tastes the same as yours over in the UK. Marzipan is so good!
Karie – I like that birthday tradition! And Emmet Otter’s Jug Band has been one of my Christmas favorites for more years than I’m ready to admit
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 7:00 pm #
Kathy, I hope you’re feeling better soon. My youngest has the crud and I fear I’m coming down with it too, which is another tradition – somebody’s always sick on Christmas and usually it’s me…
Fresh – I love that Mother’s Day tradition! How fun! I wonder what the owners of the roadstands think when you all show up in your finery
Lisa H – Lifesaver’s Books!!!!! THat takes me way back. My sister and I used to get them every Christmas and then trade the flavors we didn’t like. I didn’t know they still made them!!! I’m going to have to keep my eyes open for them when I go out again. Probably that will be for cold medicine… Ack.
Donna – shopping for MAC makeup? Can I go with you?!
Margaret on 22 Dec 2008 at 7:17 pm #
Freschelle – “We’ve started a new tradition “Family Story Bingo” because the same relatives have been telling the same freakin’ stories at every family gathering since the day each story occurred.”
LOL That would be me, Fresh! I forget who I told what to or even if I did. I blame it on getting old. Turning 70 must have some perks somewhere. Unfortunately, I’ve been telling the same stuf ad nauseum far longer than a month.
Paula, I have a friend in Dallas who is German by birth. She lusts for marzipan. Her favorite sweet. However the chocolate on the Christmas tree sounds mighty tempting.
Tomorrow, I am making 2 pecan pies and some pralines. Nothing Southern about me!
dbrown3400 on 22 Dec 2008 at 8:35 pm #
Sure thing, Karen. What are you out of? My DD has already made her makeup list.
Margaret, can I have some vicarious pralines and pecan pie. No calories there.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:26 pm #
Every time I come back here today and I see
the big TRADITION -all I think is Fiddler on the Roof.
lol
The song is going through my head right now
must youtube it so I can sleep okay
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2008 at 10:38 pm #
Kathy, I actually had started the blog saying that song was in my head, but deleted it as I didn’t want to put it in any of your heads, LOL!
Janae on 23 Dec 2008 at 2:03 am #
You know, Paula, I think my parents may have tried a similar rule. We could just never sleep on Christmas.
Karen R, it was AWESOME to have that time together, munching on oranges and kisses, talking about everything under the sun, etc. I think it’s one of the many reasons why the 5 of us are so close, and our 2 older siblings kind of feel left out at family get togethers. Everyone has done a great job explaining what divinity is. It’s like a TON of sugar with some egg whites. It’s got to be the sweetest candy ever made. It’s really hard to make, too. My mom had it down to a science as to when things were added, how long it was mixed, etc. One year I got a second degree burn on my right hand, making divinity. It killed.
Sonie Lasker on 24 Dec 2008 at 12:43 am #
Hello to everyone and thank you for the congrats. I love this blog and I have to say, as an athlete, there are so many traditions that we have – some may say that these “traditions” border on something else….
However I will list a few if you will be so kind as to indulge me.
1. I don’t leave for a tournamemt without a Karen Rose book. I love you Karen! You are my friend, my family, my student and your books … I can read them 20 times and still want to read them again.
2. I have a lucky sports bra that is falling apart, so it just travels with me. It this still tradition? I know that its nowhere as cool as a PB and chocolate cookie…
There are others, but I think I have made my point.
We had a Sensei who once had the underbelts ironing Black belt uniforms on seminar trips. He called that Tradition – but Shihan had a fit.
However, before Black Belt testing there are about 50 traditions that I learned about that I will need to pass on right before the next Shodan test that you don’t really understand coming up the ranks.
Well, again -
Thanks for the congrats and enjoy the holiday tradition of eating!!!!
Sonie L