Chapter Three Reflection Question-Traditions

I finished reading Chapter Three on Traditions, in our text “Living Folklore”. I was able to draw upon my own life and that of a group to which I feel connected to; my family and friends. While reading Chapter Three I reflected upon three varieties of tradition that are significant to me and they are as follows: one tradition that seems to be longstanding, but that is perhaps disappearing or changing in some fashion, one that seems to be increasingly central in importance to you or to others in your life, and a tradition whose origin you yourself witnessed or participated in.

I began to contemplate the tradition in our family that has been longstanding, but that is perhaps disappearing or changing in some fashion. The first thing that came to my mind was our family tradition of watching “A Christmas Story.” This occurs on Christmas Eve, and has occurred on every Christmas Eve for at least the last ten years. We have made this such a longstanding tradition that we all enjoy blurting out lines such as, “You’ll shoot your eye out” and “Oh Fudge”, laughing at these scenes a thousand times over. Of course I envision here soon that the family tradition of watching “A Christmas Story” will probably change but will not disappear completely. “Most of the time…traditions change and evolve naturally”. (Sims 75) Our teenage daughter will be going off to college next year. Our son, in the next couple years, will probably find this movie completely un-cool. But I believe that the tradition of watching “A Christmas Story” on Christmas Eve will be passed down to their children because “traditions exist because they mean something to those who partake in them”.(Sims 87) Even though our children change and evolve they will continue the tradition because “A Christmas Story” means something to them.

Colts game day festivities, is a tradition that seems to be increasingly central in importance to me and to others in my life. But it is also a tradition whose origin I witnessed and participated in. The origin of Colts game day tradition began about seven years ago in my living room. It was just me and the TV on Colts game day. Time would stand still in my house until the game was over. My husband would sometimes watch the game and sometimes he wouldn’t. If “my” team was playing poorly, my husband would leave the room, but I would watch them until the bitter end. As the Colts increasingly improved over the years, game day became a tradition that was increasingly central in importance to me and to others in my life. Now game days consist of a pitch-in’s and get together’s with our friends. Are you ready for some football…..? Go Colts!!!!!!!! Monday Night Football.

This Post is in response to Chapter 3 Reflection Question .



Works Cited

Sims, Martha and Martine Stephens. Living Folklore an Introduction to the Study of People and Their Traditions. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 2005.