I love hype! And after weeks of hype, the holidays are upon us. For me, the holiday season starts in October. No, I do not immediately dive into Christmas cheer, rather I just really enjoy Halloween and the opening of true fall traditions. From pumpkin carving, to RennFest, straight into the Thanksgiving holiday, my holiday season is filled with tradition.
I know I am not the only one who was saddened to see Rennfest 2020 cancelled. Rennfest is a strong tradition in the Southworth household. I wouldn’t feel right reflecting on holiday traditions without mentioning it. Huzzah!
Christmas tradition has sparked my imagination and love for the Christmas since I was a child. I have very distant, yet clear memories of blue lights, mice in Christmas hats, and ninja turtle action figures. Lately, I find myself in the blessed position of creating new holiday traditions. Having started a family of my own, the holidays are filled with a certain magic that I didn’t know existed. It has been a fun experiencing blending old traditions with the opportunity to establish new ones.
This year, holiday traditions have a different spin for some of us. And although some things may be altered, some things stay the same. A holiday tradition in my household is Christmas movies all day, every day from the start of December. Some of my favorite holiday movies are Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, and of course, Jingle All The Way. Shout out to Arnold. You can’t have holiday movies without Christmas music and holiday desserts.
After the movies and desserts and the first half of December, we are typically gearing up for family tradition. I love having a big family on both sides. My wife’s family being in Philadelphia, the Christmas Eve traditions have been drastically altered. Although we may not enjoy large feasts and rowdy gift exchanges this year, we are still blessed with health, good fortune, and babies. Lots of babies in the family. It has yet to be seen what new traditions will stem from this holiday season.
A fun tradition that has not changed in my 33 years, is my love for toys. I share this affection towards action figures, hot wheels, and classic toys with both my father and my brother. Christmas still looks a lot like it did when I was 5. This is one tradition that I look forward to continuing!
I wish all of you a safe and very happy holiday season. Enjoy the time with family as much as you can be together.
See you in 2021!