November 2022—Enjoy your traditions! Would you like a piece of pie?
I love our family tradition of baking lots of pies for Thanksgiving. I took this picture of my husband David with our grandson and granddaughter (twins) proudly showing off the pumpkin pie they baked together here at our ranch this year! Traditions are what pulls at our heart strings and bonds us as one, kind of like being stuck together with “Crazy Glue,” with our family and friends. Yes, some of our traditions are kind of crazy! Some make us smile, some make us laugh, some make us a little teary-eyed.
I enjoyed reading the following quotes about the value of traditions. I hope we all will find and embrace special traditions that lift our spirits and help us feel truly connected to the people we love!
7 Reasons Why Traditions Are So Important
Traditions represent a critical piece of our culture. They help form the structure and foundation of our families and our society. They remind us that we are part of a history that defines our past, shapes who we are today and who we are likely to become. Once we ignore the meaning of our traditions, we’re in danger of damaging the underpinning of our identity.
Tradition contributes a sense of comfort and belonging. It brings families together and enables people to reconnect with friends.
Tradition reinforces values such as freedom, faith, integrity, a good education, personal responsibility, a strong work ethic, and the value of being selfless.
Tradition provides a forum to showcase role models and celebrate the things that really matter in life.
Tradition offers a chance to say “thank you” for the contribution that someone has made.
Tradition enables us to showcase the principles of our Founding Fathers, celebrate diversity, and unite as a country.
Tradition serves as an avenue for creating lasting memories for our families and friends.
Tradition offers an excellent context for meaningful pause and reflection.
As leaders, role models, and parents, we must strive to utilize every opportunity available to us to reinforce the values and beliefs that we hold dear. The alternative to action is taking these values for granted. The result is that our beliefs will get so diluted, over time, that our way of life will become foreign to us. Itʼs like good health. You may take it for granted until you lose it. If we disregard our values, weʼll open our eyes one day and wonʼt be able to recognize “our world” anymore. The values that support the backbone of our country, our family, and our faith will have drifted for so long that the fabric of our society will be torn. (This is adapted from Follow Your Conscience: Make a Difference in Your Life & in the Lives of Others by Frank Sonnenberg.)
Creating Meaningful Family Traditions
Some of the simplest and most important traditions parents should foster are family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, family mealtimes, family councils, and one-on-one time with each child. All healthy traditions rooted in gospel principles help family members feel that they belong to the family.
Righteous Traditions
“If we will build righteous traditions in our families, the light of the gospel can grow ever brighter … from generation to generation.”—Elder L. Tom Perry, “Family Traditions”