As I have mentioned previously, I am the 8th of 10 children and my husband is the youngest of 11. We were married young and opted out of having children. Every holiday, we were « expected » to be the travellers to wherever our families were gathering.. That expectation was beginning to feel like a burden. We also decided it was important for us to begin to create our own family traditions. In the 70’s, a couple with no children might not have been considered a « family ». However, we knew we were a family. So we decided that Thanksgiving would be our holiday as a family. We would begin do create our own rituals for that holiday. And what a joy it was, and is to this day. May all our blessings continue to unfold.
I love decorating the Christmas tree. It’s like unpacking memories one by one. Almost each ornament was a gift, or handmade by family or bought because it just made me smile. From the day it is put up to the day I take it down I sit in the quiet morning with all those memories and the people I shared them with.
Another tradition that I used to take for granted is the blessing at Thanksgiving. After learning how to be more grateful everyday, today feels like a celebration of all the blessings. I have all of you to thank for this new, deeper feeling of gratefulness. Today’s blessing will be shared with my full heart and not just well meant words of thanks.
Gathering with loved ones on days like today. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter… holiday feasts to celebrate the gift of life and family and breaking bread together. This is the first Thanksgiving that it will be just me and my husband (and the dogs), and while I will miss being with family, I am also going to cherish not having to run around, have our offering ready by a certain time, having to deliver meals to customers… I’m grateful for the “break” given to us this year by the path we were placed on. We are still making a grand meal, and I will reach out to my family to tell them I love them and am grateful for them.
I have love and am grateful for each of you here, too. Happy Thanksgiving! And if it’s not a holiday for you, Happy Thursday 🙂
Greetings from Forney, Texas. One tradition I cherish is the opening of our ditch, El Viejo, in the springtime when the snow begins to melt. From a solid, high upon the continental divide, to a liquid, the water seeks its level. Some call it trashing the ditch, others call it cleaning or clearing. We follow the water and pitch out whatever detritus, leaves, tumble weeds, branches and anything else that has entered the ditch throughout the cold months while the earth rests. Our ditch was the first one appropriated along the Alamosa River by the ancianos in the spring of 1867. Good people have been doing this task every spring since. 157 years and counting. Agua es Vida. May all in the US have a wonderful day of Thanksgiving, and all abroad a wonderful day. I am grateful for this site, the ones who maintain it and the wise, compassionate, loving folks who reflect here. Namaste.
Being it’s Thanksgiving I see Brother David’s quote of the day as being perfectly accurate to all the things I cherish:
What brings fulfilment is gratefulness, the simple response of our heart to this given life in all its fullness.
BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST
The tradition of gratefulness is truly something to cherish with all my heart in each moment. Not only something to do when I feel good or bad.
Thank you 🙏
I stumbled across this tradition working years ago. Key West is 100 miles south of the mainland and has been a place since 1822. From the very beginning it has been a bustling community very closely linked to the sea. For most of its history, at least the first century and a half, it was a working town. And being an island very much a tightly knit conglomeration of sailors and merchants and fisher people. A fair sprinkling of entrepreneurs (which in those days were not unlike vagabonds…hustling for a buck).
In recent decades it has become not too different from many charming destinations of character, Jackson Hole, Aspen, Nantucket…it has gotten a bit precious and tony. And yet much still remains of these earlier qualities amongst the people who live there, a real sense of family.
So, it happens, that every holiday season there is an island wide Christmas decoration contest. There are cash prizes and everyone (almost everyone) gets involved. Think the Whos of Whoville kind of enthusiasm. The trees in the city parking lots, almost every boat in the all the marinas and harbors, the businesses of course, and then the houses. The historic old town is quite traditionally done. Martha Stewart-like restraint and a bit traditional.
But venture out into the New Town, the neighborhoods built in the 50s, where the ranch houses of the regular folk are, and you get into the treasure trove. Themes like Star Wars, When Pigs Fly, Ninja Turtles, Snoopy, entire houses, yards, cars and trailers in the yard, the roofs and fences ALL covered with lights.
One tours the sight in specially scheduled evening Old Town Trolley tour vehicles, decorated with lights, carols over the loudspeakers on board, and the driver, ringing his bell as he rounds each corner (in a Santa Hat OF COURSE), alerts the inhabitants of his arrival on the block and the folks who live there rush out into their positions, in costumes appropriate to the theme! Polar bears, penguins, Star Troopers, Santa’s helpers, and Grinches! Parents, kids, dogs….and many knowing the trolley is coming by throw on the snow machine. Yes. Snow machines happen.
Meanwhile, over all of this expression of good spirit and fun, is the fact that Key West, during the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years, is virtually empty of tourists. They do this for themselves.
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As I have mentioned previously, I am the 8th of 10 children and my husband is the youngest of 11. We were married young and opted out of having children. Every holiday, we were « expected » to be the travellers to wherever our families were gathering.. That expectation was beginning to feel like a burden. We also decided it was important for us to begin to create our own family traditions. In the 70’s, a couple with no children might not have been considered a « family ». However, we knew we were a family. So we decided that Thanksgiving would be our holiday as a family. We would begin do create our own rituals for that holiday. And what a joy it was, and is to this day. May all our blessings continue to unfold.
I love decorating the Christmas tree. It’s like unpacking memories one by one. Almost each ornament was a gift, or handmade by family or bought because it just made me smile. From the day it is put up to the day I take it down I sit in the quiet morning with all those memories and the people I shared them with.
Another tradition that I used to take for granted is the blessing at Thanksgiving. After learning how to be more grateful everyday, today feels like a celebration of all the blessings. I have all of you to thank for this new, deeper feeling of gratefulness. Today’s blessing will be shared with my full heart and not just well meant words of thanks.
Happy Thanksgiving or happy Thursday to all.
Gathering with family today and on other holidays. It fills me with joy to spend time with my girls.
Gathering with loved ones on days like today. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter… holiday feasts to celebrate the gift of life and family and breaking bread together. This is the first Thanksgiving that it will be just me and my husband (and the dogs), and while I will miss being with family, I am also going to cherish not having to run around, have our offering ready by a certain time, having to deliver meals to customers… I’m grateful for the “break” given to us this year by the path we were placed on. We are still making a grand meal, and I will reach out to my family to tell them I love them and am grateful for them.
I have love and am grateful for each of you here, too. Happy Thanksgiving! And if it’s not a holiday for you, Happy Thursday 🙂
Sounds like a wonderful and peaceful day and one you both deserve.
Greetings from Forney, Texas. One tradition I cherish is the opening of our ditch, El Viejo, in the springtime when the snow begins to melt. From a solid, high upon the continental divide, to a liquid, the water seeks its level. Some call it trashing the ditch, others call it cleaning or clearing. We follow the water and pitch out whatever detritus, leaves, tumble weeds, branches and anything else that has entered the ditch throughout the cold months while the earth rests. Our ditch was the first one appropriated along the Alamosa River by the ancianos in the spring of 1867. Good people have been doing this task every spring since. 157 years and counting. Agua es Vida. May all in the US have a wonderful day of Thanksgiving, and all abroad a wonderful day. I am grateful for this site, the ones who maintain it and the wise, compassionate, loving folks who reflect here. Namaste.
Such a humble and consequential ritual, Joseph. Thank you for sharing this. The community and historical richness of this ritual is powerful.
Being it’s Thanksgiving I see Brother David’s quote of the day as being perfectly accurate to all the things I cherish:
What brings fulfilment is gratefulness, the simple response of our heart to this given life in all its fullness.
BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST
The tradition of gratefulness is truly something to cherish with all my heart in each moment. Not only something to do when I feel good or bad.
Thank you 🙏
I stumbled across this tradition working years ago. Key West is 100 miles south of the mainland and has been a place since 1822. From the very beginning it has been a bustling community very closely linked to the sea. For most of its history, at least the first century and a half, it was a working town. And being an island very much a tightly knit conglomeration of sailors and merchants and fisher people. A fair sprinkling of entrepreneurs (which in those days were not unlike vagabonds…hustling for a buck).
In recent decades it has become not too different from many charming destinations of character, Jackson Hole, Aspen, Nantucket…it has gotten a bit precious and tony. And yet much still remains of these earlier qualities amongst the people who live there, a real sense of family.
So, it happens, that every holiday season there is an island wide Christmas decoration contest. There are cash prizes and everyone (almost everyone) gets involved. Think the Whos of Whoville kind of enthusiasm. The trees in the city parking lots, almost every boat in the all the marinas and harbors, the businesses of course, and then the houses. The historic old town is quite traditionally done. Martha Stewart-like restraint and a bit traditional.
But venture out into the New Town, the neighborhoods built in the 50s, where the ranch houses of the regular folk are, and you get into the treasure trove. Themes like Star Wars, When Pigs Fly, Ninja Turtles, Snoopy, entire houses, yards, cars and trailers in the yard, the roofs and fences ALL covered with lights.
One tours the sight in specially scheduled evening Old Town Trolley tour vehicles, decorated with lights, carols over the loudspeakers on board, and the driver, ringing his bell as he rounds each corner (in a Santa Hat OF COURSE), alerts the inhabitants of his arrival on the block and the folks who live there rush out into their positions, in costumes appropriate to the theme! Polar bears, penguins, Star Troopers, Santa’s helpers, and Grinches! Parents, kids, dogs….and many knowing the trolley is coming by throw on the snow machine. Yes. Snow machines happen.
Meanwhile, over all of this expression of good spirit and fun, is the fact that Key West, during the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years, is virtually empty of tourists. They do this for themselves.
It is endearing.
Regional rituals are so enjoyable to learn about. Thanks Howie.
I love this thank you for sharing.
I love that! Thank you, Howie. I can picture it, and it makes me smile thinking of the natives participating in this for themselves and each other 🙂