Make Time for Traditions

Did you know Fruitcake was initially a wedding cake? Yep, that holiday dreaded sweet we think of now was once part of a different kind of tradition.

What was once popular and valued hundreds of years ago, has been either forgotten or considered ‘too old fashioned’ for today’s modern society.

While I don’t suggest going out and baking a fruitcake unless you like fruitcake or love baking and try to put your own twist on it, I do want to encourage you to find one old tradition in your family’s history and keep it alive.

Can you imagine the sight and scents of white roses and lavender instead of gingerbread and evergreens? Colonial Virginians preserved their roses for this very occasion. Christmas with roses? I’m in! Although I prefer mine raspberry tipped, and the image of roses in these unpredictable seasons, thanks to global warming has my mind spinning with the possibilities.

Do you invite people over for a party for holidays and celebrations? Too busy with your day job and everyday life to stress about getting it all coordinated this year? Well, friend. When in Roman, do what the Romans do, right? In which, I refer to ‘Saturnalia,’ a Roman tradition where a child plans the party. Give your pre-teen or teen a little extra responsibility this year and promote them to party planner—with your final approval of course.

Craving a little Humble Pie, unlike the fruitcake, the humble pie started as a stable at Christmas in the 1600s. It was filled with a deer’s ‘humbles,’ you know heart, liver, brains, and other neglected organs, which is where it got its name. Whereas nowadays, serving up a little humble pie is much sweeter and has a much different meaning. I think I’ll pass on the humble pie and stick with rose petals and fruitcake.

And let us not forget the giving of gifts. It’s a tradition linked to so many occasions and puts us back to the Roman’s ‘Saturnalia’ and another tradition that most writers and lovers of words can appreciate it. The Romans wrote poetry on their gift tags. It makes you think of love and Valentine’s traditions, which also include roses, sweet words, and possibly cake. Preferably chocolate.

TWEETABLE

Old or new, our traditions blend and evolve, but the ones we keep and the ones we make are what our families come to value and remember in the next generations to come.

What old or new traditions do you make time for?