What’s wrong with these kids today?

[PantyFanatic]

I just watched the sunset over the lake on the longest day of the year. Tried to get my son and daughter to bring my descendents down to play in the oak trees……. and if they had some mistletoe :rolleyes:……………………… LOL

Just kidding;) Even though this isn’t the season for most non-druid families to observe traditions, do you have a ritual or tradition that has been practiced in your family? It can be for anything, for any purpose, but has to be something that was given to you. You can’t count something that you’ve started.

Actually I’m pleased to see that there seems to be a renewed value recognition for some of the old traditions, especially around the holidays, that today’s young families are making a point to include in the battery operated, microwaveable world we live in.

Just wondered if any of the rest of us old-fucks had any we tried to pass along? Do any of the current people-crop farmers make an effort to keep these? Has any of the soon-to-be people-growers thought about something they feel was important enough to them personally to be sure they pass along?





(how's that for a wierd thread?) lol:dizzy:

[Lilith]

love it PF!!!!!

My traditions mainly come in things I say to my kids or sing to them.

No silverware when you take the first bite of your birthday cake!

Mother's Days spent at the beach.

Weird ...frankly disgusting drinking ritual.... My Uncle died too early, leaving a young family and all of us in grief. He was a party man.. I'd have shared pixies with him:p Well he left a bottle of kahlua that he had been a smart ass, swigging right out of the bottle, at my grandma's house just before he was killed. So the rule is whenever 4 or more of us are in the same place or on any special day every one who is related by blood or marriage swigs out of this bottle. When it gets 3/4 empty we pour more into it. It is about sharing and family. We share the joy, the pain, the pleasures, the griefs and it's all represented in the sharing of all we have left of this man.... his spit. LOL We are sooooo weird. I love us!


We have tons but they are like everyday stuff.

[BlueSwede]

You can wear store-bought Halloween costumes any day of the year except on Halloween. On Halloween you must wear a costume that is handmade.

Drinking Swedish glogg and eating Swedish pickled ham, Swedish meatballs, lutefisk, pickled herring (not me), and sylta on Christmas Eve.

Picking, growing, or buying one or more flowers, then, on May Day, placing it/them on someone's doorstep, ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door, then running away or hiding so that the person answering the door doesn't know who left it/them.

I know you said it can't be one we started. Well, I'm going to say one I started anyway. I would never let my kids eat cereals in which sugar was the first ingredient listed. However, on St. Patrick's Day, my kids would be given a box of the cereal Lucky Charms--the only day of the year they were allowed such a sugar-laden cereal. They're grown up now and STILL associate St. Patrick's Day w/Lucky Charms.

[dicksbro]

Waiting until Christmas morning to open presents. Fourth of July with two couples who've been friends now for more that 35 years. Family reunions every few years. Got one coming up near the 4th of July. Saying grace at the dinner table.

[Cheyanne]

What is wrong with these kids????

Too many parents wanting their kids to have a better life than what they had... not realizing that the life they lived was a good one....

Traditions ~ cooking a favorite meal on someone's birthday ~ also having their favorite dessert (cake or not).... sometimes cinnamon rolls... :)

[LixyChick]

I've tried and tried to start traditions but have never been successful as I am NOT the formal matriarch of the family.......yet!

Sooooooo........ I go with the flow and have never spent a New Year's day without having a bite of pork and sauerkraut and placing money under my plate to ensure a successful monetary year. My ex's son (my step son) was only 4 when I first met him and we sat at my in-laws table this New Year's day and spoke of the tradition. ZJ spoke up and said, "I don't like sauercrap"! After the laughter subsided, I snuck a string of sauerkraut into his mashed potatoes and he ate everything on his plate. I asked him if he enjoyed his meal and he said YES! I then told him he must have liked sauercrap, cause I put some in his tatoes and he ate them all up. He said he must have but just didn't remeber how much! LOL!

When receiving a plant or flower as a gift.......one never says Thank You, as it will surely die. Instead we tell of the place we will plant or keep it and how pretty the addition will make to our collection or landscape. Trust me......it's hard not to say Thank You when receiving a present......but I stop myself cold each and every time!

When anyone of our family goes to a housewarming......we bring something that is alive. A plant or flower is perfect for this situation as most people like to pick out their own puppies or kittens (I know this from past experience...LOL!).


The front door is for stranger's. If you are a friend or family member......we use the back door!

[Teddy Bear]

We have so many and do some of the ones already given but I'll tell you a couple of my favorites:
New Years Eve (or day if your not home at midnight): Open every window in the house, let the old year out and a fresh start for the new year in. Living in New England this can get quite chilly - lol.
Easter: Whoever is up first calls all the other family households (doesn't matter how early) and says, "key-key-ka-deee", according to some great-uncle thats the sound the Easter bunny makes.
4th of July: The WHOLE family gets together for a picnic & fireworks on the lake. No matter where or what we all show up. In 1986 I went into labor & had my second daughter a few hours after the fireworks ended.
Christmas: We have a birthday cake for the baby Jesus & sing Happy Birthday.

This is not so much a tradition but just something we do. Three squeezes means 'I love you'. So while waiting in line or in a crowded place with complete silence, you can squeeze someones hand, shoulder , knee, whatever... and tell them you love them. You get the sweetest smiles and usually 3 squeezes back.

teddy :) :D

[jseal]

pantyfanatic,

Sunday dinner is at 4:30, and you put your church clothes back on.

[Kissy]

My husband and I are pagan, however our fathers are baptist, and my mother in law is Wiccan which makes for interesting holidays. Pretty much if it's a holiday somewhere, we're making a reason to celebrate life!

Our friend's tease us by asking at each get together what holiday it is and we usualy come up with one! Most of our family thinks we should stick with one set of religious traditions, and pass those on. But we feel our family will get more out of learning a little about everyone else. And therefore know more about themselves.

ps: I love hearing about everyone elses traditions, gives me good ideas!

[Midnight Kiss]

New Year's eve stay up till at least midnight and get your 12:00 kiss, then New Year's Day we eat black eyed peas and hog jowl
June/July go to springfeild MO and watch firefall
Novemer we eat turkey and ham and cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving
December we eat the same as for Thanksgiving go for a drive and come back eat and then open presents or we go to Midnight Mass then open presents when we get home.

[Ozling]

I dont know how much of a tradition it is..but my dad's side of my family gathers every easter in louisiana to eat watermelons and barbeque. then we go down the hill to the river and get in the water and throw watermelon rinds at each other until they all get down the river and there's none left to throw. we play kids versus adults...or to be more specific, 19+ versus 18-. tis fun. dont know how much of a tradition it is, but i think im gonna keep it going with my kids and so will all of the other kids that are getting older on my dads side.