Traditions are important, but so is the flexibility to change or add traditions when your life circumstances change.
The Nutcracker Suite has been a tradition for me since I was a little girl. My mother took me to the ballet. I then became a ballet dancer. I took my own daughters to the Nutcracker ballet when they were preschoolers. They became ballet dancers and both performed in several Nutcracker ballet performances. Even though my girls changed interests in high school from ballet to cheerleading, every holiday season seems tied to the Nutcracker ballet. I even have a collection of wooden Nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, wooden musical jewelry boxes and even snow balls with the Nutcracker theme. I think it is the magical world in the story that is so appealing and the happy ending. The music instantly transports me to a fairy tale world and I feel like a little girl again.
Coaching Tip: Value your traditions and your stories and add some flexibility, too. Eight years ago when we moved 1000 miles away from family and friends, along with cherishing traditions, we had to create some new traditions. Though I love thinking about my holiday memories (my Grandpa always had walnuts that he would crack open with a nutcracker ,he always had chocolate covered cherries at Christmas, and we would stand around the piano and sing), I also know the value of starting new traditions, too. If we think Christmas, the holidays, or any event can only be one way, we set ourselves up for disappointment. For instance, it has been a new tradition for us to go to the Parade of Lights in Denver every year, this year we had a conflict in our schedules and could not go. My son was very sad and then we had a talk about what is important about traditions- and that is the people. Even though we couldn’t go to the parade, we were still together. Many blessings to you this season.
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well done
enjoyed reading your narrative.