Family Tradition

In describing communication issues among families, Kory Floyd highlights family rituals and family stories as two ways in which we create a sense of belonging and definition among our family members. Floyd points out that family traditions reinforce values and that our stories will often “convey an underlying message about the family” (361).

Growing up in my family, traditions were very important. Some of our rituals included Christmas at my grandparent’s, summer beach trips, and Bush Gardens at least once a year. As the years passed our traditions would evolve. New members would be invited to join and the specifics of our trips would be tweaked according to our changing wants and needs. What was always certain though was that the minute you were included in these trips, you were family.

I have always had a loose definition of family. Mainly it seems like whoever you chose to invite into your home and share your rituals with is a part of your family. Floyd acknowledges that tradition can be especially important for these types of blended families.

Inevitably through years of adventuring the stories surrounding the events emerge, telling of the wild times that our traditions produced. These stories serve to glorify the rituals and the family members, pointing out strengths and eccentricities and acting as historical references to the people and places we have loved.

I am now almost thirty and my family still has very specific traditions. Not only am I a part of these but I have become a part of my wife’s family’s rituals and we are creating new rituals of our own. These traditions help to give our families a sense of unity and define the people we are and the things that are important to us. The stories surrounding them reinforce these traditions and keep our old memories alive.