November is the month for Bonfire Night in the U.K. As a child, it was one of my favorite nights of the year, second only to Christmas Eve.
We’d have a bonfire in the backyard, and my dad would bring home a box of fireworks to set off and a couple of packets of sparklers. We’d have baked potatoes and roast chestnuts, and my mum would make parkin and gooey, delicious bonfire toffee. It was an evening spent outdoors, clustered around the fire. It was about friends and food and a little bit of danger.
It’s one of the many things I miss about my homeland, and it’s one of the traditions I would have enjoyed sharing with my children. And that’s the topic for this week’s Whiny Wednesday:
Traditions you won’t get to share with your children
Happy Bonfire Night and happy whining.
I think the hardest one for me is Thanksgiving. As a child I grew up in a large and closely meshed extended family and we spent all of our holidays together. Thanksgiving was always my favorite because there would be way more kids than adults and it was just about stuffing yourself silly and visiting with each other. Now as an adult my husband and I live too far away to spend most holidays with our families. But we also have no children of our own so I feel that most during the Thanksgiving holiday. There is nothing that makes me as sad and anxious as the idea of spending Thanksgiving day with just two people sitting around an apartment. And as we get older and my siblings start their families I know this pain will only become worse. My husband has some of the same feelings about Thanksgiving due to the loss of several very important family members in recent years. Thanksgiving was also the time my mom would bring out her wedding china for us to eat on. That is something that I had hoped to share with my own growing family one day. Be able to host a huge Thanksgiving meal and eat on the special china we picked out as newlyweds. Alas, the china is still in its boxes and has been for several years now. I am hoping we find a different version of Thanksgiving tradition in the coming years so it won’t be so hard.
Apple picking in the country side .. i used to do that when i was a child going with my family and family friends .. even though i can still go as an adult, it’s not as special as when you have a child and seeing the joy they feel to get that experience. that and pumpkin picking every fall .. petting zoo .. sigh
Presents on “The 3 Wise Men” day… around January 6th….
And…the ” three generations” picture…
Growing up close to NYC and going into the city often I always looked forward to all the Christmas events in the city I’d bring my children to. Going to see Santa at the Macy’s in Herald Square, going to see the Rockefeller tree and taking them to see the Rockettes Christmas show.
Pretty much all my fun Christmas traditions… camping trips, ballet and dance recitals, I could go on and on. Horseback riding. I love them all.