Special tradition

For this chapter as well I am going to refer to the YouTube channel 'The Grim Network'. Let me inform my readers that I do not 100% support their views and thoughts, yet I draw inspiration from their content. One such inspiration that I received from their content was creation of family traditions.

Now I agree in Indian families we have a lot of family traditions. These are passed from generations. All the generations are expected to follow these family traditions. Some of these traditions could be fun or progressive while some traditions could be the ones we do not agree with. The topic that I want to bring forward today has nothing to do with the family traditions but rather it is about creating your own tradition for your own family.

Now we are focusing on improving our connection with the family hence the family traditions that we are going to create or propose must be inclusive and they should be enjoyable for the entire family. This family tradition should not be imposed on to the family members rather it should be such that it is happily accepted and agreed by each and every person. Remember that we are creating these traditions for happiness and a not for the preserving pride and ego of those created. Hence we should think about the new traditions in that way.

These new traditions could be anything from preparing certain foods on certain days or doing certain activities on certain days. We need to make these traditions flexible as well as enjoyable for the entire family. When the traditions are enjoyable it will insure that the entire family participate in such traditions and gains positivity from it.

Leaving aside that theory let me tell you some traditions that we had created within our small family which we enjoy:

• During the weekend nights we do not eat sabji and roti. We try to experiment with the food. We would make sandwiches, chat, pizza, pav bhaji, or any new recipe we found interesting. This is not a religious or a cultural tradition but something that we decided to create ourselves. It definitely enhances our skills and it is certainly enjoyable. We look forward to the weekends for a trying something new.
• Once in a while whenever we feel we as a family say prayers together. We say our prayers as a group.
• Whenever there is any religious festival and special delicacies need to be prepared we ensure that it is a family activity. Each and every family member contributes towards preparation of this delicacy as per the best of their abilities.
• Cousins meet for Diwali lunch every year. Either we dine at a restaurant or we gather at a cousin's home and order food.

These are some of the examples which I wanted to bring forward to show that the traditions can be simple but everybody should find them interesting so that they would belingly participate in them. Such family traditions definitely bring the entire family together and makes them closer. The connection with the family get stronger with these simple traditions.

If there are any young children they would obviously love such traditions and these traditions would form a major part of their formative years. Looking at these traditions they would understand the value of family and various traditions. Needless to say these traditions would give them life long memories and looking back they would always cherish them.

Introducing special traditions in the family is the easiest way to connect with our family in a better manner and that is why I believe it should be introduced as a family ritual.