Traditions are crucial in life because they bring a sense of comfort and connection with your loved ones. Recurring traditions create strong familial bonds and build long-lasting friendships. It serves as a break from everyday routine in life and allows you to participate in activities you enjoy with your loved ones. In this blog, I will discuss why having traditions increases connections with people around you, while simultaneously sharing insights about two of my favourite traditions that I partake in.
1. Brings a sense of belonging
Tradition cultivates a sense of belonging as it creates shared experiences with your loved ones. The recurrence of these traditions provides comfort and collective unity, as it allows you to engage in activities alongside people you admire. These rituals not only contribute to a shared identity, but will also connect you with others who share similar beliefs and values.
My favourite family tradition that holds a special place in my heart is our annual trip to Calgary downtown to celebrate Canada Day. Despite living in Edmonton for the past 8 years, we never skipped this tradition. Every Canada Day, my family and I reconnect and put aside any work-related conversations. We enjoy each other’s presence under the fireworks at midnight, and it is a meaningful opportunity for us to destress and strengthen our familial bond.
With my friends, one common activity is our frequent trips to the movies. We can literally finish all the movies in a week if time ever permits! We collectively choose the movie we want to watch together. We also split popcorn and snacks, which creates a sense of belonging and strengthens our friendship. We do this tradition every time we have a break from school or work.
2. Celebrates milestones in life
Participating in a tradition that brings everyone together for a shared activity offers you the opportunity to share various aspects of your life with loved ones and celebrate your new milestones. The day becomes more than just the tradition, but a chance to have meaningful conversations with those around you. Consistently participating in a tradition without a break fosters a sense of inclusivity, relying on people who share this tradition. This shared experience offers a safe space to comfortably express your feelings and engage in the tradition.
Going to Calgary with my family for Canada Day is a tradition that falls a few days after the school year ends, coinciding with the time when I need to check my grades. I am always afraid to check them alone, so I admire having my family around me as I check them. This collective experience allows me to share my grades with my family and celebrate my milestones while watching the fireworks.
After my friends and I finish the movie, we extend our enjoyment by going to dinner where we have the chance to reconnect, share our experiences, and catch up on each other’s life. During this time, we talk freely about anything we want, and it becomes a special time to learn about each other. We also take the time to celebrate each other’s achievements that we had during the school semester.
3. Creates long-lasting memories
The long-lasting memories we cherish during traditions puts spontaneous smiles as we reminisce about it by the timeless pictures we capture. These pictures and even mementos serve as a reminder of the fun we had with our loved ones and makes us more excited for future traditions and rituals.
Every Canada Day, I always take a video of the fireworks every year! My father who prioritises living in the moment tells me, “Hamis! Enjoy the fireworks live!” However, I insist on capturing the moment to keep it as my memory in my Canada day album. And to this day, I have eight videos of the colourful fireworks for each year we celebrated in Calgary!
Whenever my friends and I go to the movies, I always save the movie tickets after every outing in a special box. I keep the tickets as a memento to remember the fun moments I had with my friends. Occasionally, I sift through the box, and I choose a ticket at random. I watch the chosen movie by myself at home to remember the time I shared with my friends when we watched it at the theatre. The movie ritual I have with my friends extended into my home!
