By Elle Waldron
staff writer
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| Frederick Meijer Gardens “Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World” exhibit |
As we head into the 2016 season, no matter what your beliefs are, it is nearly impossible to be unaware of the complete bliss and chaos. But that is part of why the holiday season is so special. It isn’t surprising or unplanned: we do the same things, on the same day, every year. Not only as communities, but as families too. Traditions that have lived on through generations (and new traditions) are constantly arising.
As Americans, our traditions are special because of the complete melting pot of cultures they derive from. Although we like to think of our own family traditions as unique, it is most common that the most remembered ones are the those that are most popular.
Nearly twenty individuals touring the Frederick Meijer Garden’s “Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World” exhibit were asked what their favorite holiday traditions were. After a long silence of contemplation, it proved a more difficult question than expected.
Surprisingly, their answers had less to do with the what they did every year, but more to do with who they were doing it with. Overall, the impression was that our holiday traditions are about the people and doing things as a family. It could be decorating the Christmas tree, lighting the candles on a menorah, or telling holiday stories.
One woman who asked to only be identified by her first name, Helen, is a grandmother. She said the highlight of her Christmas season is “putting things on the tree that remind you of other people” and she loves it how it always can “bring back good memories.” Most visitors shared tales of family gatherings, meal rituals, and holiday story books.
Northview High School Administrative Assistant, Patty Zwyghuizen shared her traditions of celebrating advent. Advent, a celebration of the Christian church takes four weeks and symbolically leads to the birth of Jesus Christ. "Mrs. Z" discussed both her faith and family, “with all the materialism, it can be nice to have something else to center us”.
No matter what your faith, this is true. Regardless if you celebrate Christmas with midnight mass and stockings hung on the fireplace, Hanukkah with lighting of the menorah, or Milad un-Nabi with the storytelling about a prophet, the winter holiday traditions are about the celebration of miracles in our religions and the celebration of happy times in our lives.
Nearly twenty individuals touring the Frederick Meijer Garden’s “Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World” exhibit were asked what their favorite holiday traditions were. After a long silence of contemplation, it proved a more difficult question than expected.
Surprisingly, their answers had less to do with the what they did every year, but more to do with who they were doing it with. Overall, the impression was that our holiday traditions are about the people and doing things as a family. It could be decorating the Christmas tree, lighting the candles on a menorah, or telling holiday stories.
One woman who asked to only be identified by her first name, Helen, is a grandmother. She said the highlight of her Christmas season is “putting things on the tree that remind you of other people” and she loves it how it always can “bring back good memories.” Most visitors shared tales of family gatherings, meal rituals, and holiday story books.
Northview High School Administrative Assistant, Patty Zwyghuizen shared her traditions of celebrating advent. Advent, a celebration of the Christian church takes four weeks and symbolically leads to the birth of Jesus Christ. "Mrs. Z" discussed both her faith and family, “with all the materialism, it can be nice to have something else to center us”.
No matter what your faith, this is true. Regardless if you celebrate Christmas with midnight mass and stockings hung on the fireplace, Hanukkah with lighting of the menorah, or Milad un-Nabi with the storytelling about a prophet, the winter holiday traditions are about the celebration of miracles in our religions and the celebration of happy times in our lives.
Traditions are not always about the action, they are about the people we choose to spend our holidays with year after year.
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