There�s a lot of talk why traditions are important. They say they give us some kind of perspective of time passing, they help us connect to loved ones who've passed, they help us feel like we have a community. Traditions are a lot like our daily schedules in a way; they give us something to look forward to, and they even calm us. Humans are huge fans of routine and the familiar � and traditions are just that.
Growing up, my mother made sure I was inundated with Christmas traditions. We did dozens of amazing things each Christmas, and she never skipped a beat, making sure we always did at least a few of our traditions when the holidays arrived (you can't fit them all each year). These traditions have given me some of the best memories of my childhood. The thing is, however, as I became an adult and moved out on my own, I unfortunately let go of these traditions. I didn't realize how important they are. Now I do.
Some people with disabilities may be able to relate to this, especially if they have some kind of acquired disability. The holidays can be a bit of a somber time, reminding us of when we were healthier or more able-bodied, and it can be tough. Christmas traditions can remind us of a life we desperately miss, so we let them go, not realizing how important they are to our well being, even now.
For me it took getting into my thirties and realizing that before I know it, I will be old, to smartly reinstate my Christmas traditions. I was waiting for a family, to get married, to have children, but why? I�m not sure if any of those things are for me, and I thought Christmas traditions were reserved only for these types of people. Not so! Plenty of single people with and without disabilities can have wonderful Christmas traditions, whether their tied to other family members or friends. You can even have solitary Christmas traditions, like myself.
And they don�t have to be elaborate or complicated. My new one this year is putting out my grandma's vintage 1960s gingerbread house that plugs in and glows a beautiful red light.
The moral - don't wait for someone to bring Christmas traditions into your life and don't forget the traditions you grew up with. You are in control of your life and you can create the most beautiful traditions. Christmas, yes it's about presents, family, food, and religion, but tradition is the glue that holds it all together. Without tradition, well, it just wouldn't feel like the holidays.
What holiday traditions could you never do without?