Category: Why Tradition Matters

Family Memories Quiz Bowl

A Ly

Credit:

Connections: Families.

What You Need: Slips of paper; pen/pencil; bowl.

Doing It:

This is another easy game that children, parents, and grandparents can play together. It can evoke a lot of memories and stories.

Each person in the group writes out about five questions (depending on the total number of people playing) about family history. Try to come up with questions that will bring up great family memories. Some examples of questions: Where did we go on vacation three years ago? What is Tom’s favorite expression? What family tradition takes place each year when we put up the Christmas tree? What movie did we all go to see last month? When is Grandma and Grandpa’s wedding anniversary? What was Sarah’s favorite book when she was little? One caution: avoid embarrassing questions or questions that young children or teenagers may be sensitive about.

Write each question on a separate slip of paper. Fold up the slips of paper and put them into a bowl.

Pass around the bowl. One at a time, each person pulls out a question. The person reads it aloud to the group and then tries to answer it. If you answer correctly, you get a point. Then pass the bowl to the next person. If you choose your own question, refold it, put it back in the bowl, and pick another question. If you don’t know the answer to a question, go around the room until someone guesses the answer (that person gets a point).

Draw the Memory

A Ly

Credit: Legacy Project

Connections: Families.

What You Need: Paper; pencil crayons and/or markers.

Doing It:

This is an easy game children, parents, and grandparents can play over the holidays or any time. Guessing memories is fun for young and old.

On their own sheet of paper, each person draws a picture of a favorite family memory. It should be something specific that everyone would know about, and ideally something that involved two or more people. You can limit memories to something that’s happened in the last year, or be more general. As they’re drawing, each person hides their picture from everyone else.

When everyone is finished drawing, hold pictures up one at a time for people to try to guess the memory. Hints are allowed if required!

Once a memory has been guessed correctly, talk about why it’s a favorite memory.

Family Stars

A Ly

Credit:

Connections: Families; Schools (Art, Math); Community Groups.

What You Need: Copies of “Family Star Pattern” (2 copies required to make 1 star); pencil crayons and/or markers; scissors; double-sided tape; glue; gold string.

Doing It:

Hollywood has its Walk of Fame, with bronze star plaques embedded in the sidewalk honoring show-business celebrities. Why not celebrate your “all-star family” with a family star tradition? One family I know comes up with a creative new way to use stars to celebrate their family each year. One year, they decorated a star cake with stars and the names of all their family members. Another year, they used food coloring to make stars in the snow outside with the names of their family members. Yet another year, they made star decorations with their family member names on them.

Use the “Family Star Pattern” to make a special 3-D star for each member of your family — children, parents, and grandparents. You’ll need two copies of the “Family Star Pattern” for each star you make (each copy is one half of the finished star). Color both copies. For maximum 3-D effect, alternate light and dark colors. Use colors or patterns that represent the person to whom the star belongs. For example, if your brother likes blue, make his star using different shades of blue. Put each family member’s name somewhere on their star — and don’t forget to make a star for yourself! As you’re decorating the stars, be sure you can still see the guidelines for folding.

To construct a finished star, cut out both star pattern copies. Fold back all the flaps. Carefully crease along the interior lines of each copy so that the points of the star pop out. Make sure your creases all meet at the center of the star.

Put a small piece of double-sided tape on each flap of each half of the star. Put the two halves together so that each flap is attached to the inside of the other half of the star. Be careful not to crush the star as you’re putting it together (you may have to puff it out when you’re done). Glue a loop of gold string to one point on the star so that you can hang it when it dries.

Decorate a wall or corner of a room with all your family stars.

One World, Many Traditions

A Ly

Credit: Legacy Project

Connections: Schools (Social Studies, History, Language Arts, Art); Seniors Groups/Facilities; Community Groups.

What You Need: Copies of “One World, Many Traditions” sheets; paper and construction paper; pencil crayons and/or markers; scissors; tape. Optional — gold thread or string.

Doing It:

This is a time of year when people celebrate different holidays in different ways. In general, holidays are an example of public rituals. They organize the collective behavior of millions of people and lead us through the weeks, months, and years. Holidays bring us together and affirm values.

People throughout the world have different traditions and rituals depending on the country they live in, their cultural and ethnic heritage, their religion, and even their particular family. Celebrate the diversity of the world. Studying the beliefs, traditions, rituals, and institutions of a wide variety of peoples broadens our own humanity. This is an activity children can do, and it’s a great intergenerational activity (e.g. a class of students with a group of older adults in a seniors facility).

You might start by exploring some of the world’s major religions with children, since many traditions and rituals are based on religion. A great introductory book is What I Believe: A Young Person’s Guide to the Religions of the World by Alan Brown. It introduces Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Shinto, and Taoism through the eyes of young members of those faiths.

Use the “One World, Many Traditions” sheets to discuss some of the holidays that occur at this time of year.

You can also read some books related to the different holidays. Storybooks about Christmas: A Christmas Sampler by Joan Walsh Anglund; Christmas: Celebrating Life, Giving, and Kindness by Arlene Erlbach; A Christmas Treasury: Very Merry Stories and Poems by Kevin Hawkes; An Island Christmas by Lynn Joseph; Victorian Christmas by Bobbie Kalman; Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford; The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore; Twas the Night B’Fore Christmas: An African-American Version by Melodye Benson Rosales and Clement C. Moore; Baboushka: A Christmas Folktale from Russia by Arthur Scholey.

Storybooks about Hanukkah: On Hanukkah by Cathy Goldberg Fishman; The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes by Linda Glaser; Light the Lights!: A Story About Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas by Margaret Moorman; The Very Best Hanukkah Gift by Joanne Rocklin; Chanukah Lights Everywhere by Michael J. Rosen; Nine Spoons: A Chanukah Story by Marci Stillerman; The Magic Menorah: A Modern Chanukah Tale by Jane Breskin Zalben.

Storybooks about Kwanzaa: A Very Special Kwanzaa by Debbi Chocolate; My First Kwanzaa Book by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate; It’s Kwanzaa Time! by Linda Goss; Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story by Angela Shelf Medearis; Habari Gani? What’s the News?: A Kwanzaa Story by Sundaira Morninghouse.

Storybooks about Ramadan: Ramadan by Suhaib Hamid Ghazi; Celebrating Ramadan by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith.

To do the activity, discuss the holidays people in the group celebrate. How many people celebrate which holidays? Discuss exactly how each person celebrates their holiday. What traditions and rituals do they have? How do the traditions and rituals of the older people differ from those of the younger people in the group?

Then, each person in the group draws a symbol to represent one aspect of their holiday traditions and rituals. Use the symbols suggested on the “One World, Many Traditions” sheets for inspiration. Each person’s symbol must be different. The idea is to demonstrate how traditions are shared and yet at the same time unique. Each person should make their symbol distinct in some way. If you have several people in the group who celebrate Christmas, for example, try to get each person to choose a different symbol (one that’s especially important to them). If more than one person chooses the same symbol, such as a Christmas present, try to make the symbols distinct. One person may open their presents on Christmas Eve while another opens them on Christmas Day. Have the former write “Christmas Eve” on their present symbol and the latter “Christmas Day.” Make sure each person puts their name on their symbol.

Once everyone has completed their symbol, cut the symbols out and tape them along the wall to celebrate the diversity of traditions and rituals. Or, hang each symbol from gold thread or string and decorate the room by having them drop from the ceiling.

Memories and Tradition

A Ly

Credit: Legacy Project

“Tradition is a guide, not a jailer.”

W. Somerset Maugham

Memories, traditions, and holidays go together. In fact, they are inseparable. Think about it: what would a holiday be without the memories and traditions that separate it from the blur of every other day of the year? A holiday is a time when you remember — holidays past, the year past, those you have known, and even who you once were. A holiday is also a time when you engage in familiar activities — activities that have been repeated over the years and through the generations, and which you hope will continue to be repeated in future years and by new generations.

For individuals, the holidays are very much about memories and traditions formed in childhood. Memories make up the story of our life that exists in our mind. They help us make sense of our life and find meaning in it. Memories can give us comfort, direction, inspiration, and hope. Our children need memories and traditions to grow into their future, and we need our memories and traditions to step back into the comfort of the past for a moment. We want to relive those moments from the past when we felt safe, secure, happy, and connected (or at least the times we remember that way — even if they didn’t actually happen exactly as we remember them). If we don’t have happy memories from holidays past, then it becomes all the more important to create special moments now that will become memories in the future.

The holidays are a natural time for generations to connect. The world of work slows, schools take time off, and everything in general seems to make a nod toward spending some time with family. The holidays are the one time of year when we are expected and encouraged to connect. They are a once-a-year call to family. It’s not always straightforward or easy to make the connection. But you can celebrate the holidays in a way that works for you and your family, and a way that strengthens the bonds across generations (see The Magic of Traditions & Rituals section of this kit). We do need each other — with all our foibles and frustrations. We need connections that matter, connections that are deep and meaningful. We need to connect to each other, to our varied personal and cultural histories, and to the traditions those histories carry.

Some useful books for adults related to building memories and traditions: 15 Minute Family Traditions & Memories by Emilie Barnes; Come to the Table by Doris Christopher; The Games We Played: A Celebration of Childhood and Imagination edited by Steven A. Cohen; The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey; The Heart of a Family: Searching America for New Traditions That Fulfill Us by Meg Cox; The Intentional Family: Simple Rituals to Strengthen Family Ties by William J. Doherty; The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families by Mary Pipher; Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love & Joy Back into the Season by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli.

Picture books are great to share with both young and old. Some storybooks related to memories and family, cultural, and holiday traditions: Christmas Tree Memories by Aliki; A Christmas Sampler by Joan Walsh Anglund; The Chicken Salad Club by Marsha Diane Arnold; Chestnut Dreams by Halina Below; The Christmas Cobwebs by Odds Bodkin; Something to Remember Me By by Susan V. Bosak; I Have an Olive Tree by Eve Bunting; Night Tree by Eve Bunting; A Visit to Grandma’s by Nancy L. Carlson; A Very Special Kwanzaa by Debbi Chocolate; My First Kwanzaa Book by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate; Dancin’ in the Kitchen by Frank P. Christian; Little Tree by e.e. cummings; Christmas: Celebrating Life, Giving, and Kindness by Arlene Erlbach; On Hanukkah by Cathy Goldberg Fishman; Tanya’s Reunion by Valerie Flournoy; In My Family/En mi familia by Carmen Lomas Garza; Ramadan by Suhaib Hamid Ghazi; The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes by Linda Glaser; It’s Kwanzaa Time! by Linda Goss; Rodgers & Hammerstein’s My Favorite Things by Renée Graef; Luka’s Quilt by Georgia Guback; A Christmas Treasury: Very Merry Stories and Poems by Kevin Hawkes; Bubbe & Gram by Joan C. Hawxhurst; A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg; Great-Grandmother’s Treasure by Ruth Hickcox; Celebrating Ramadan by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith; Houseful of Christmas by Barbara Joosse; An Island Christmas by Lynn Joseph; Victorian Christmas by Bobbie Kalman; Grandpa’s Visit by Richardo Keens-Douglas; Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford; All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan; Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story by Angela Shelf Medearis; Gus and Grandpa and the Christmas Cookies by Claudia Mills; The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore; Light the Lights!: A Story About Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas by Margaret Moorman; Apples and Angel Ladders: A Collection of Pioneer Christmas Stories by Irene Morck; Habari Gani? What’s the News?: A Kwanzaa Story by Sundaira Morninghouse; My Two Grandmothers by Effin Older; Rocking Horse Christmas by Mary Pope Osborne; Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco; Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco; Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan; The Very Best Hanukkah Gift by Joanne Rocklin; Twas the Night B’Fore Christmas: An African-American Version by Melodye Benson Rosales and Clement C. Moore; Chanukah Lights Everywhere by Michael J. Rosen; Baboushka: A Christmas Folktale from Russia by Arthur Scholey; Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’ by Eileen Spinelli; Nine Spoons: A Chanukah Story by Marci Stillerman; Mimi’s Tutu by Tynia Thomassie; Liliana’s Grandmothers by Leyla Torres; Mei-Mei Loves the Morning by Margaret Holloway Tsubakiyama; Grandma’s Records by Eric Velasquez; The Magic Menorah: A Modern Chanukah Tale by Jane Breskin Zalben; The Beautiful Christmas Tree by Charlotte Zolotow.

For insights and inspiration, do read The Magic of Traditions & Rituals section of this kit. Related activities in this kit include “Simple Rituals” and “Kitchen Memories” in the Something to Remember Me By: Start With Story section; “Preserving Your Family Traditions“, “Holiday Meal Memories“, “Calendar of Memories“, and “My Book of Memories” in the Scrapbooking & Other Photo Fun section; and “Did You Ever…?“, “Keepsakes to Reminisce By“, and “Holiday Reading Basket” in the Storytelling for Hope section.

Activities: One World, Many Traditions; Holidays Then & Now; Mini Christmas Tree; Celebrate with the Animals; Family Stars; Family Christmas Crackers; Draw the Memory; Family Memories Quiz Bowl; Find the Candy Cane; Spin the Dreidel; Smells Great!; Bake It, Decorate It; Instant Ice Cream; Ice Cream Party; Family Handshakes; TV Time; Calming Rituals; Time to Remember; Top 10 Favorite Things; Family Growth Chart; Celebrate Past and Future.