Traditions & the Like

I've been trying to think of a topic. I should really quit trying so hard. The topics worth writing about usually present themselves when I'm about as far away from thinking about it as possible...

With the holidays so recent, this will not come as a surprise, but it lends itself to expansion. I was listening to a cd this afternoon on my way home from one of my traditions (the ever-famous Omlet Fest - if you don't know, you may ask) and while listening to the music (very not Christmas related) in my car, I realized something: I have a tradition I didn't even realize that I have.

Those who know me a little more than at the acquaintance level know: I LOVE Christmas. And the music that comes with it. I always tell myself it won't come out until after Thanksgiving dinner has been consumed, but it always is out long before that day- often, long before November has begun. I just can't help it. I love it when the air turns cold, when you can smell the snow coming, when you practically live in sweatshirts (as soon as you get home from work), and drink hot chocolate all the time. These are the things that make me - in small, silly ways - happy.

My realization came: I quit with the Christmas music pretty much on the 26th of December. It just feels wrong to hear it after that. Why?? (Maybe this can explain my longing for it in September. I need enough time to really enjoy it, to get it all in before my brain shuts off the part that will allow it to be enjoyed properly...) I was listening to something in my car that was fairly upbeat (ok: rock, loud, big drums, harmonizing vocals, the type of music which would drive my parents crazy, and only sounds all the better when you crank the volume), and a 'left-over' Christmas cd caught my eye from the dashboard, and my thought was "oh my, I need to take that stuff out of here." I instantly was surprised at my complete lack of interest in those wonderful tunes, but, as I thought about it, there was no denying- Christmas music time has passed. The lights, sure they can stay up through January, maybe even early February sometimes, but the music must go now. Huh.

Also, as I thought about that in conjunction with leaving the afore-mentioned Omlet Fest activities, I got into the whole traditions question. Who comes up with this stuff? I mean, I know where Omlet Fest came from, and it's great, and I hope to attend for years to come, but the rest of it? Sure, you could go online and search for Christmas or New Years or Valentines or even birthday traditions (or pretty much anything else) and I'm sure you'd find a wealth of information. But there are always those that will come back with vauge or gray beginnings. "We're not entirely sure how this started but by such-and-so a date this was solid and here's your tradition."

Some are merely traditions within a specific family group. One of my friends and I discussed one such difference: I can't imagine Christmas Eve without a church service of some sort; she can't imagine one with - her family is so all over that they simply read the story together at home. These things intrigue me this afternoon...

Care to share a tradition? You'll find them in more places than you think!