The Beauty of Christmas Traditions

Christmas Tree Adventures 12812 Yes, while I am fully aware this is Ask the Pro-Stylist, I wanted to digress a tiny bit from hair, skin and makeup advice and indulge in the holidays around us, with the beauty of Christmas traditions.

Every year, for over 15 years now, my family begins our Christmas celebration when we venture to the mountains to chop down our tree. Many feel the Christmas season commences with the arrival of Santa in The Thanksgiving Day Parade, and we do too, but in our family and our Christmas traditions, it is official on the morning of the trek to upstate NY with the insertion of Mariah Carey’s “Merry Christmas” CD into the car radio.

As soon as the date is planned that fits into all of our busy schedules, the kids, all four of them from the youngest aged 7 to the oldest who is 19, anticipate the morning of one of our favorite Christmas traditions.

We wake up early, pack for wet, muddy or snowy conditions and eat in our favorite spot, which unfortunately has changed owners so many times that we have had to find new favorite places the past few years. However, any place we eat together as a family for a hearty country breakfast on this special day holds significance in our hearts, because it is part of the tradition of our Christmas holiday.

After eating, we head to Battenfeld’s Tree Farm and I hunt down the fullest and tallest Douglas Fir that will fit into my tiny home. My husband saws down the most beautiful Christmas Tree and ties it to the roof of the car for the lengthy ride back to Long Island, all the while, each of the four boys are torturing him, me and each other.

And every year, something inevitably happens that becomes emblazoned in our brains and evolves into a happy memory that the boys will pass on to their grandchildren and that is the beauty of our Christmas tradition!

This year cruising down the Taconic Parkway traveling home with a Christmas Tree attached to the roof of the minivan, DH was pulled over for doing 74 in a 55. And the gas eater of a car ran out of gas one exit before home. We had to push the car up the ramp to a side street and walk to retrieve fuel. Memories I would never want to rid my mind of because we created them together as a family in honor of Christmas, to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Everyone is busy and gets caught in the frenzy of the holiday season. Many worry about not offending others by calling town, village and even state “Christmas Trees” “Holiday Trees”. It is the beauty of the traditions that unite families, friends and neighborhoods, regardless of which holiday celebration you participate in. America celebrates diversity; we are all from other parts of the world. Our diversity unites us and teaches our children respect. A menorah is a menorah and a Christmas Tree is a Christmas Tree, both distinct and beautiful symbols of different religions and the traditions of each of the holidays.

So today, as Jews worldwide light the first candle of the menorah, I would like to wish them a Happy Hanukkah as they enjoy the beauty of the holiday’s traditions. And as Christians begin to enjoy the beauty of Christmas and all the season brings, remember to hold fast to whatever fantabulous tradition your family participates in. Merry Christmas.