MCT campusThe holidays are a cheery time in which families gather and celebrate. Well, not so much anymore. In today’s generation, many of the traditions surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas have changed.
Thanksgiving is no longer about getting together with family and friends and giving thanks for the past year but rather getting up at 4 a.m. to go shopping.
Thanksgiving is all about Black Friday.
Working in retail, I know just how busy it can get Black Friday. Last year, I went in to work at 8 a.m. and had an extremely difficult time finding a parking spot. I thought malls and stores opening up at 4 a.m. was bad but this year outlet malls were opening up at midnight.
Personally, I have never gone shopping on Black Friday. Part of the reason is you’ll have a very hard time getting me out of bed. The other part is that I wouldn’t want to battle the crowds.
Yes, the prices are well worth it but most of the time it is so difficult to get the items at the cheap prices. The sad thing is that so many of the popular presents are so expensive, one of the only times they are affordable is on days like Black Friday.
In my family, Christmas has always been about traditions and getting together with everyone.
For as long as I can remember, Christmas Eve has always meant one thing: fish. My family is Italian and follows the tradition of the seven fishes. We cook seven different kinds of fish for good luck in the coming year. I am not a huge fan of seafood and very picky about the kinds I actually eat.
So, naturally, I was never a huge fan of this tradition. Despite this, I can honestly say that I will probably continue this tradition with my family someday. I can’t think about Christmas Eve without thinking about my house reeking of fish and my disgust over half of the meal.
It is up to our generation to carry on the traditions from our families or let them die out.
For some of my friends, family is extremely important to them. For others, it is not as important.
I think the traditions are what make the holidays special and unique. They are what leave us with the most special and heartwarming memories.
I cannot imagine the holidays without all of the little things that always happen. So many of them are little, stupid things but they make Thanksgiving and Christmas what they are.
Every year, most of my mom’s side of the family gets together at my nana’s house for dinner and presents. My nana has this ceramic Christmas tree with plastic lights in it. Every year my brother, my two cousins and I would play with this tree and move the lights around. We turned it in to some sort of game. Every year, she puts the tree out, and the four of us always laugh at the fact that half of the lights are missing from us playing with it as kids.
The face of the holidays has changed dramatically over the years. Years ago, they used to be all about just being with family and appreciating each other.
Now, families are lucky if the have the time to get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Family is one of the most important things to me. I have always treasured the holidays because it is one of the times I know I get to see my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandmother.
