Traditions

It’s Christmas Eve and after a wonderfully full day at work trying to tie up some administrative needs, make a couple of food deliveries and generally hoping that nothing urgent presents itself I find myself, happy tired. After finishing a little early we, cerian and I, had the chance to go to a Carol service at the village Anglican Church, watch a Christmas film and connect with family (digitally). We’ve also realised that our little family made up of me, my wife Cerian and our little pooch have a few traditions that make our festive seasons, our festive season.

Cerian tends to do the most amazing cooking at Christmas. We tend to have a homey roast ham for Christmas Eve lunch / early dinner, put on Christmas pj’s, open 1 present on Christmas Eve and finally have a little slice of Turkey before bed. These are our traditions that make a Wilkinson Christmas a ‘Wilkinson Christmas’.

During Advent I tend to read an advent reflective book along with focussing my Biblical readings on the birth of Jesus in the gospels and prophets etc. These are my traditions.

We all have traditions, rituals and routines that act as hinge points. They craft our identity and without them we can feel bereft. They craft our community and give meaning to our individual, familial, local, cultural and national identity. 2020 leaves many feeling bereft with many traditions unable to happen due to pandemic restrictions.

This could be an opportunity for new traditions or maybe it’s an opportunity to hold on to the ones that mean the most. Some traditions may need to be adapted but however they work themselves out it is important to practice those traditions that form who we are.