In Pursuit of Family Traditions

One of the best parts about raising a set of Littles is creating new traditions.  Whether it's the small act of ordering pizza for every Falcon's game or a larger, more involved annual pumpkin patch outing, these traditions "provide a sense of anticipation, security, and continuity," (to quote the great Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project).

Each new season brings with it its own set of traditions, and we've been basking in them over here this fall!  One of my favorite traditions was started when Fiona was just 8 months old.  Chris decided for the first time that he wanted to attend his high school homecoming football game and alumni dinner.  We had way more fun than either of us had anticipated and have made it back four times over the years.  The kids love the band- we sit right by then!

Fiona's First Wesleyan Homecoming Game! 2011 

With Daddy at his Alma Mater! 2011

This picture doesn't quite capture how much fun we were having... 2016

Another (less random) tradition we've set is our annual pumpkin patch outing!  We try to get to a patch each year for the cute pictures of the kids by the pumpkins.  According to Mrs. Rubin, traditions like these "... mark the passage of time in a happy way."  I completely agree.  The kids anticipation leading up to the event is just as exciting as the actual event!  We don't always make it to the pumpkin patch (there was that one year that we got THE VERY LAST pumpkin from Publix), but it sure is fun when we do!

It's hard to not be inspired by fall.  One of my favorite memories from this current fall will be Fiona's l'automne board, which she thought up on her own and spent a few afternoons collecting the items to apply.  With a little help from her daddy, she had a project of which she was very proud (almost as proud as I was :)

Finally, one Jewish holiday that we try to celebrate each year is the feast of Sukkot (also knows as the "Feast of Booths" or "Feast of Tabernacles").  Sukkot is celebrated on from the 15 to 22 of the month of Tishri.  As part of the celebration, families will construct a small, hastily built hut and eat their meals in it during the festival.  This hut is symbolic of the huts Israel lived in during their 40 year journey through the dessert.  My favorite part of the celebration is the waving of the four species (brought together to form a "Lulav").  We wave them in six directions: forward, right, back, left, up, and down.  This proclaim's God's omnipresence in the past, present, and future.

I love hearing about other people's traditions and ways they celebrate the different seasons!  What traditions does your family enjoy celebrating in the fall?