Monday, September 28, 2009

How do you Create your Culture?

In today’s ever shrinking world how do you Create the Culture of your family.
As the Jewish High Holidays are being celebrated, I think about the traditions that are created and celebrated during this time. I was unable to take part this year but I do love joining in at the local temples that welcome visitors at this time. It is an amazing thing to be part of as you witness history being honored and created. Children are being loved and celebrated by just experiencing the traditions and while some of them may not truly understand their meanings they appreciate how special they are and I can't help but believe that by being apart of these celebrations year after year the children come to appreciate how special they are. I want that for my children. Maybe not Yom Kippur, although I will celebrate it with them when we can, but traditions, celebrations, things to look forward to and know that whatever happens these things will stand. Even through loss and change and death, these things will stand. I can only imagine how hard it must be to continue to do something like the High Holidays after the loss of a close loved one, but I also think their must be some comfort in knowing that in all that changes in this world their are also constants. That type of reassurance makes children strong through many trials.

So I am curious to see those who are blending and creating their own cultures what things do you do? How are you in fact Creating your Culture. You may not even realize that you are so answer these few questions not just for me but also for you. So you can begin to understand how you are in fact Creating your Culture and that you may do it with purpose and love:

1) What traditions did your parents do or not do that you have your family participate in? ie Opening presents on Christmas Eve with friends and family? Saturday morning cleaning?

2) Are there Spiritual or Cultural Holidays that you celebrate with your family? How do you celebrate them?
ie. Christmas, Yom Kippur, Kwanzaa, Three Kings Day - do you do all the traditional things or do you blend your own way of doing things into the traditional way of doing things?

3) Does your family include individuals of different cultural, religious, ethnic or racial backgrounds? How do you blend the various traditions and celebrations? ie Christmas tree next to a Hanukah bush? Christmas and Kwanzaa followed by Three Kings Day?

I am extremely interested in your thoughts and insight. Thanks in advance.

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