What makes a tradition?
Does it have to be widely known?
Is it something that a large group of people participate in?
Is it denoted by words on a calendar?
I am a fan of tradition. I like to look at the history of things, so of course I like them, it just makes sense.
The thing about tradition, is that they all have beginnings. Some of these beginnings can be accidental and some of them can be well thought out and planned. A tradition never truly starts until it has been observed and acknowledged, that is another thing that kind of fascinates me about them. Something you do today could wind up being a tradition, all you have to do, is decide on it.
Take for instance my latest tradition, Batman Day. On December 4th of 2012 The Dark Knight Rises came out on DVD, and of course I bought it, I mean come on, it’s Batman! So that day I decided that I would watch the Nolan Batman trilogy, and call it Batman Day. So what did I do on December 4th this year? That’s right, I watched the Nolan Batman trilogy again. Batman Day is now a tradition of mine. Right now I don’t have the pomp and circumstance that some traditions have, but that doesn’t mean I won’t add those in later. For now, I have the basis of a tradition, and I am cool with that.
So that is how traditions begin, an activity happens, and someone decides it should happen again, and again, into the future that lays before us all.
I was trying to decide whether I would say a holiday is a tradition, but I think it is what happens on holidays that is the tradition. Getting together with family for a big meal perhaps, or having champagne at midnight, giving flowers and candy, those are the things of tradition, the holiday merely notes something that happened and when these traditions should take place. With holidays it also seems that everyone has their own spin on the tradition. This could be what is served at a meal, or something that the group does, and that is another thing that fascinates me about tradition.
This group of people get together and have a turkey and these sides, this group gets together and has a goose and these sides, this group goes out for Chinese food. None of these groups are wrong, but if you took anyone from one group and put them in another, they might feel weird about it, even though they know that the base is there, they will know that it isn’t their way of things.
My mom grew up opening Christmas presents on Christmas Eve and then finding gifts from Santa on Christmas day, my dad grew up opening presents on Christmas day after seeing what was in his stocking. Some how in our house mom gave in and let dad go with his way on these things and I got used to it. Eventually mom decided to try to persuade me to her side, but it was too late, for me it felt really weird to open presents on Christmas Eve, so I said nah. I know it is weird that I wouldn’t want to know what I got as soon as possible, but the tradition was Christmas day, so that is what I have to do.
Maybe I like tradition so much because I am a creature of habit, which would actually make sense now that I think about it. I like to have a bit of a routine, nothing set in stone, but a way of doing things, and I like it to be that way. If something throws that off a bit, I won’t freak out, but I am not a fan. I guess Tradition gives me an excuse to be okay with that state of mind, it lets me have something to point to and say, “See, that’s how things work in this world.”
Tradition is something for the masses, and something for the individuals.
Tradition brings people together when they might otherwise be apart.
Tradition allows companies to market specific cookies, candies, and foods to their designated holiday.
Tradition allows someone to take an activity they like and make it into something they celebrate.
Tradition is something that Bocephus sang about.
Tradition is something that I see people do, and I wonder what the origin is for them.
Tradition is history.
Lately my habit is not being able to figure out what to write about, or how to flesh it out. I will not be making that a tradition!
