Don't you love the traditions that bring friends and family together? Sure, there may be a spat or two during the event, but the take home is a warm, fuzzy feeling.
At first, I thought this pre Christmas season primarily roused the family event planners need to get everyone together. However, with each word of this post, I realized the entire year pokes our attention to congregate.
No matter how much we dream of having five precious minutes to ourselves, deep down we crave the crazy get togethers. God made us that way.
Let's talk about the traditions starting with October, since we have a few days left of this month for this year.
October: Our family takes an annual trek to Frankenmuth. It is a German town located in Michigan and is the home of the largest Christmas store in the world (or so they say). Between small children and pets knocking down Christmas tree ornaments or the whole tree, we are always in need of new ornaments. We take the back roads to the village, incorporating an autumn tree color tour. Each member of the family has a favorite store or site to visit. The day is spent by the time the last favored place is seen. Do you have a favorite color for trees?
November: Thanksgiving. What family tradition do you have for this holiday?
December: Christmas. My favorite season of the month. I still get jazzed to see the sparkles and colored lights celebrating our Lord's birth. Our tradition is to make a birthday cake for Jesus. What tradition do you have?
January: A month of renewal and new goals. Our family makes resolutions, risk free. No pressure. Blankets of snow cover the ground and ice skating season begins. What winter sport do you like?
February: The month of love. My hubby remembers flowers (carnations are my favorite), and the box of chocolate he shouldn't buy because I am always on a diet. What do you give the love of your life? (this does not have to be a spouse)
March: Spring break vacations to the beach, St. Patty's Day, warm teasers from the weather. Sometimes Easter falls in this month. The blessed Holy day when our Savior rose from the grave, leaving our sins buried. Praise His name. What does your family do special this month?
April: End of college semesters, early spring flowers, Mud walking. Rain. Early spring scents. What do you like to do in April?
June: Graduations, Weddings, beaches, vacations, tree leaves a chartreuse color, grass and plants reviving, strawberry festivals, canning, summer walks, and reunions. What traditions do you have for June?
July: Independence Day. Family trips to the favorite place or a new place to watch the fireworks. I have been blessed to see fireworks in Germany, New York City, Detroit, and many small cities. Pray for the leaders of your country, where ever you live. Where do you go to see fireworks?
August: Sizzling hot days of August spent at the beach on an air conditioned home. Harvesting early vegetables. Last month to play before school starts. Camp, buying school clothes, end of the summer events. What August tradition do you celebrate?
September: Labor day parades and barbecues, School in session, first fall colors, cooler temperatures, long harvest days. Apples, hay rides. What tradition do you have for September? For us, the tradition is simply to adjust to the wacky schedule.
God loves to have traditions, also. Whenever something significant happened in the Bible an annual festival, celebration, or other form of remembrance happened. Here are just a few:
Pentecost
Esther's holiday (this has a name, but I can't think of it right now)
Festival of Lights (Chanukah)
The Lord's supper
The Lord's birth (Christmas)
The Lord's resurrection (Easter)
Can you name some others?
Whatever tradition your family has, and whenever that may fall, may your fellowship be sweet and filled with laughter.
 |
| Our Frankenmuth Tradition. Photo By Mary Vee |
At first, I thought this pre Christmas season primarily roused the family event planners need to get everyone together. However, with each word of this post, I realized the entire year pokes our attention to congregate.
No matter how much we dream of having five precious minutes to ourselves, deep down we crave the crazy get togethers. God made us that way.
Let's talk about the traditions starting with October, since we have a few days left of this month for this year.
 |
| Bronners Christmas Store, Frankenmuth, MI Photo by Mary Vee |
October: Our family takes an annual trek to Frankenmuth. It is a German town located in Michigan and is the home of the largest Christmas store in the world (or so they say). Between small children and pets knocking down Christmas tree ornaments or the whole tree, we are always in need of new ornaments. We take the back roads to the village, incorporating an autumn tree color tour. Each member of the family has a favorite store or site to visit. The day is spent by the time the last favored place is seen. Do you have a favorite color for trees?
 |
| Montana, Photo by Mary Vee |
November: Thanksgiving. What family tradition do you have for this holiday?
 |
| Frankenmuth, Photo by Mary Vee |
December: Christmas. My favorite season of the month. I still get jazzed to see the sparkles and colored lights celebrating our Lord's birth. Our tradition is to make a birthday cake for Jesus. What tradition do you have?
 |
| Rocky Mountains, Montana Photo by Mary Vee |
January: A month of renewal and new goals. Our family makes resolutions, risk free. No pressure. Blankets of snow cover the ground and ice skating season begins. What winter sport do you like?
 |
| Grand Haven, MI on Lake Michigan. Photo by Mary Vee |
February: The month of love. My hubby remembers flowers (carnations are my favorite), and the box of chocolate he shouldn't buy because I am always on a diet. What do you give the love of your life? (this does not have to be a spouse)
March: Spring break vacations to the beach, St. Patty's Day, warm teasers from the weather. Sometimes Easter falls in this month. The blessed Holy day when our Savior rose from the grave, leaving our sins buried. Praise His name. What does your family do special this month?
 |
| Rocky Mountain hiking. Photo by Mary Vee |
April: End of college semesters, early spring flowers, Mud walking. Rain. Early spring scents. What do you like to do in April?
 |
| Sleeping Bear Dunes hiking trail. Photo by Mary Vee |
May: School field trips and programs, May Baskets, Memorial Day parades and barbecues. Snow disappearing, farmers plowing fields. What is your favorite scent in May?
June: Graduations, Weddings, beaches, vacations, tree leaves a chartreuse color, grass and plants reviving, strawberry festivals, canning, summer walks, and reunions. What traditions do you have for June?
 |
| Toledo, Ohio Fireworks Photo by Mary Vee |
July: Independence Day. Family trips to the favorite place or a new place to watch the fireworks. I have been blessed to see fireworks in Germany, New York City, Detroit, and many small cities. Pray for the leaders of your country, where ever you live. Where do you go to see fireworks?
 |
| Billings, Montana Photo by Mary Vee |
August: Sizzling hot days of August spent at the beach on an air conditioned home. Harvesting early vegetables. Last month to play before school starts. Camp, buying school clothes, end of the summer events. What August tradition do you celebrate?
 |
| Michigan woods. Photo by Mary Vee |
God loves to have traditions, also. Whenever something significant happened in the Bible an annual festival, celebration, or other form of remembrance happened. Here are just a few:
Pentecost
Esther's holiday (this has a name, but I can't think of it right now)
Festival of Lights (Chanukah)
The Lord's supper
The Lord's birth (Christmas)
The Lord's resurrection (Easter)
Can you name some others?
Whatever tradition your family has, and whenever that may fall, may your fellowship be sweet and filled with laughter.
Comments
As far as ice skating in January, growing up in MI they would flood the local baseball field to use as a skating rink. It's not cold enough for that here. We have a minor league hockey team here and during the hockey season when the team is out of town over the weekend they open up the rink for public skating (what fun for this northern girl!) there is a fee of course but it's not to unreasonable.
Patty
Hope this was a trip down memory lane for you.
Thanks for chatting with us today.
I have warm, fuzzy, thoughts - after reading about all of those enjoyable yearly activities!
I lived in 2 different parts of Michigan, for a year each, & enjoyed living in an apartment on the banks of Lake Michigan, & working, briefly, in a shop in the harbor of South Haven, Mi.. I never visited Frankenmuth, but would love to!
Christmas is my favorite holiday - foremost, because it is the day that we honor the birth of our Lord, it is my birthday also. I have had various colors of Christmas trees, & lights, over the years - my current tree is white, the pastel-colored lights, & gold ornaments, really show up on it, & are so pretty! I attend as many religious musicals/dramas, as possible during the Christmas season, partake of Christmas teas, & decorated homes, & activities, & enjoy getting together with friends, that I haven't seen enough of, during the year.
My family gets together for all holidays, & birthdays - the number present varies, as I have children, nieces, & nephews, literally scattered across the USA.
I'm not much of a sports enthusiast in ANY season, nor the heat of summer - I love ALL seasons, but my favorite is probably, fall (think hayrides on my father's farm, bonfires & s'mores, hot chocolate & cider, colored leaves, cool, crisp, morning, & ANYTHING pumpkin). In the past, I have enjoyed giving Valentine brunches for the ladies in my family, & also for Mother's Day. I live near Louisville, Ky., which has one of the biggest fireworks displays in the USA (during the Ky. Derby celebration), & one of my favorite activities, year-round, is going to an ocean beach - to watch, & listen to the water, & watch sunrises, & sunsets!