TRADITIONS ARE IMPORTANT (1-2003)

Tradition! That is the first word in the lyrics of the same title 
from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” More than that, however, 
tradition plays a key role in the cultures of many nations. Many 
wars have been fought over what amounts to nothing more than the 
preservation (or promulgation) of a people's traditions.

Closer to home, though, tradition is very important to many 
communities, individuals, and families. Webster defines tradition 
as "The handing down orally of customs, beliefs, etc. from 
generation to generation." This is a very narrow definition of 
tradition. It can also be described as the continuation of an 
event or a ceremony on a yearly basis by a nation, community, 
family, or even an individual.

For example, the Macy’s parade on Thanksgiving has become a 
tradition. Watching that parade has also become a tradition in 
many households.

The annual showing of “The Wizard of Oz” on television is a 
tradition. In some families, inviting all the relatives over to 
watch the Super Bowl and drink beer has become traditional.

In Edinburgh, the annual Fall Festival can certainly be considered 
a tradition.
And the Celebration of Lights at Christmas here in Edinburgh has 
become a community tradition.

This leads to the question, how long does it take for a repeating 
behavior to become a tradition? In accordance with Webster's 
definition, it would lake at least several generations. But if you 
view tradition in the broader sense, the behavior does not 
necessarily need to be handed down to newer generations; it just 
needs to be repeated or continued over several years in the life 
of an individual, community, etc. 

Traditions in our family are not only very important as an excuse 
to get together they also act as a stabilizing influence. In the 
day-to-day routine where things can happen unexpectedly, family 
traditions can help to bring things back into focus and calm the 
nerves. They help to realign one's perspective.

Traditions in our family also do not necessarily have to be long-
standing. If we take part in a certain activity that brings us 
delight, or even just solace, we may decide at that point that we 
want to make it a tradition by repeating the same activity on a 
periodic basis. In this sense, the activity is not necessarily a 
tradition, but a tradition-in-waiting.

Of course, traditions of this nature may not last long enough to 
be passed on to future generations. Sometimes they may, indeed, be 
fleeting. And thus, my family may have come up with a brand new 
oxymoron: the fleeting tradition!

As long as they last, however, they are treasured. And they 
continue to have that stabilizing effect on our lives. They bring 
us closer together, and whether they meet Webster's criteria for 
being true traditions or not, they have accomplished their task. I 
believe that one thing close families all have in common is the 
sharing of traditions. If a family isn't close, perhaps that is 
what's missing.