Traditions
Living in a new environment during the holidays has got me thinking about the traditions we carry with us in our lives.
This year was different for my husband and me. We did not spend the holidays with our families and our long time friends. Instead we went to Jingle in the Jungle at Reptile Gardens and spent part of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with new friends. (A special thanks to the families out here that adopted us during the holidays. I will remember to pass that one on.)
One of the many lessons I learned from my mom is that there are always new and different ways to celebrate the holidays - that you need to stay flexible. I thank her for that gift every year about this time. No matter how hard we try we can’t carry all of the old traditions with us. It is much less stressful if we prioritize, let go of some of the old and try some new things.
I would have made myself miserable out here this Christmas if I had tried to hold onto all the traditions we had in Minnesota. It was not easy and I had to be very intentional about what I was going to let go of, but I made it and was pretty happy in the meantime.