Tradition or habit?

Customary practice or use. A particular practice, custom, or usage. A customary or characteristic method or manner. A long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting. Ok, so what's with the fragmented sentences, right? They're definitions from dictionary.com. Definitions of what, you ask? Well, the first two sentences are the definitions of  the word 'habit,' while the second two are definitions of the word 'tradition.' They're amazingly similar, don't you think? With the 'holidays' coming up, I've been hearing the word 'tradition' being thrown around like it's some holy sacrament. Frankly, these days 'tradition' seems more like 'habit' to me.

People are bustling around stressed out over buying turkeys and fixins, making travel plans, camping out in front of department stores to be first in line for 'black Friday.' It all seems quite unpleasant. The moans and looks of dread on peoples' faces as they talk about cooking Thanksgiving dinner or how much they can spend on Christmas gifts this year is really quite depressing. No one even knows what these holidays are about anymore. I asked a child the other day what Thanksgiving celebrated, she said 'the day columbus discovered America.' Yes, thank goodness good ol' chris columbus discovered America, the Native Americans would only be called natives if he hadn't. But I digress. I don't celebrate these holidays anymore, but since I have moved away from my family, they are the only time I can get off from work so that I can see them, so I've been sucked back in, sort of.

My family really wants me around during the holidays, but not enough to cook vegan food for me. But, I don't mind cooking for myself these days, as I have become quite good at it. I just would love to see my family relaxed, happy, and thankful to be together instead tired, stressed, and filled with internal drama over the events that have occurred in their lives since the last time we plastered on fake smiles and stuffed ourselves as if we were trying to fill some dark bottomless chasm of hopelessness. I, for one, have a lot of hope and a lot for which to be thankful, and I give thanks everyday. I wonder if the real dread of this holiday is that people tend to think of what they don't have to be thankful for instead of all of the things they do have.

We all, thankfully, have our health, at least enough of it to worry about other unimportant things, and we are blessed to be able to come together and share a meal. I'm not going to even get started on Christmas. It makes me ill just to see people get worked up over buying gifts for people, some of whom they don't even like. It's all pretense. We pretend it's tradition, but it's really just habit. We're just going through the motions of eating the same food, watching the same football games, and having the same conversations. That really isn't all that bad since we don't really seem to get together on any other occasions, but if people don't like it so much, why not change it?

You don't have to do what everyone else is doing. Why not fast that day? Maybe if you don't eat all day on a day like Thanksgiving, you'll appreciate cooking more. Volunteer to help someone less fortunate than you. Buy Christmas gifts for the homeless instead of your family. Is all of that too selfless for you? Ok, then go out for dinner, or have it catered. Do something that will allow you to enjoy the company of your loved ones, and appreciate that you have them to enjoy. If you're going to celebrate these holidays, create a new 'tradition' so that it is no longer just habit, and be thankful that you did.