Treasuring Traditions in Changing Times
My favorite holiday tradition is torturing my children. Since they were old enough to talk, Christmas morning would begin with them sitting at the top of the stairs. Dad is at the bottom. In order to descend the stairs where fantasy and flannel await, they have to answer a series of trivia questions. Right answers earn a step down. Wrong answers go back one step. The whole process takes about 20 minutes. My illusion of parental control over those precious cretins, and a decent pair of dad slippers, are all I needed under the tree to make my holiday complete.
I’m now entering my sixth spin of the holiday-season-tradition Wheel of Life. I believe most people get seven spins… eight if they’re lucky. Each spin represents a time in your life when you have to make significant adjustments to how you fuel your Yule. From being a little kid who is lugged around with no say in the matter, until you’re old and frail, with no say in the matter.
Kids grow up, kids move out, babies are born. And on it goes. Everybody is pulled in every direction. Traditions? Who even does cards anymore?
Technology has revolutionized everything, like it or not. I suppose we should use it. Facetiming is pretty great, dicey connection notwithstanding, and frankly, maybe a better option than in-the-flesh chat, especially when it comes to (insert nightmare aunt or cousin here). And we’ve been using phones for pertnear 150 years now, so that’s still an option. I hear the kids all have them now.
I’m still not down on texting “Xmas,” BTW.
The trick is to make the effort and reach out. Family is family, and they share and love the same traditions and memories you will miss and you will treasure.
OK, enough of the sappy. I’ve got to whip me up a hot batch of “Dad’s Trivia Torture Challenge 2019.” It’s kinda like American Gladiator, except you just sit on stairs and answer stupid questions.
