For someone who enjoys and tends to thrive on change, you’d think I wouldn’t be all that into traditions, but you would be wrong. I actually really like them. I’m not talking about stuffy, limiting, patriarchal societal traditions, but the personal ones that start on a whim or are passed down through generations that bring a sense of joy and excitement. Ones that you look forward to as time starts creeping towards them.

When I was in high school, my sophomore English teacher invited a colleague to come talk to us about one of our summer reading books. The visiting teacher read the book every summer since it was one of her favorites. I absolutely loved that idea- finding a book you cherish so much that you return to it year after year. Ever since that day I hoped to find a book to read like that.

It took at least a decade to find the book, but I finally did! I actually cannot remember the exact year I started reading “Persuasion” by Jane Austen on an annual basis. It’s definitely been over a decade though as I had established the tradition by 2014 when I travelled to London and Bath for the first time. 

I read “Persuasion” every December. And not only do I read it every December, but I also somehow always start reading it on December 16th- Jane Austen’s birthday. I didn’t even realize this was happening until I started documenting my annual read on social media and noticed the same traditional posts on my December 16th memories.  

I’m not sure what it is about this book of Jane Austen’s that I love so much to read it every year. Maybe it’s because at the time I could relate to Anne Elliot- dealing with getting older and still single, a hopeless romantic hoping for a letter with a declaration of love. I am half agony, half hope… Or maybe it’s (spoiler alert) the rush of a happy ending- two people who love each other, finding their way back together. Whatever it is, this annual read is my favorite tradition.

Of course there are also traditions out there that aren’t as lovely. I feel the same about those as I do about the holiday decoration rules I wrote about in last month’s musing– break the rules on any tradition that no longer fits the vibes. I was a strict “day after Thanksgiving” Christmas decorator. Nothing Christmas went up in my house until Black Friday, that was the traditional Christmas decorating day for me.

This year though, I had three Christmas trees up in my house and twinkle lights in the windows by the week after Halloween. I still decorated for Christmas on Black Friday, but I didn’t have to worry about the trees since they were already up and bringing me joy. I have a lot of Christmas decorations so even without the trees, it still took me 2 full days to get everything up. I have an updated tradition now- put up the Christmas tree(s) and window lights as soon as the Halloween decorations come down, everything else gets put up on Black Friday!

Traditions don’t have to be old and uncomfortable. You are allowed to make changes that better align with your life, regardless of what anyone else says! I know some don’t think this way, and that can make for disagreement or frustration, all for the sake of “tradition.” In my opinion, traditions should be allowed to evolve over time and still keep their importance. They should update to include new people, new places, new technology, and new times. 

My reading of “Persuasion” will still count even if I read the book on an e-reader. It will still count if I start reading on December 17th instead of the 16th. Every Thanksgiving I make a spice cake just like my grandma made for me. I also try to bake her trademark sugar cookies every Christmas. Did I make the cookies last year? No. I had zero Christmas spirit and no running water in my house most of December. I still consider this holiday cookie baking a tradition! This year I’m looking forward to making the cookies again, with my grandma’s rolling pin and cookie cutters. 

In today’s world we should embrace the traditions that make us feel good and change or abandon the ones that don’t. Sometimes a tradition ending is not within our control- we lose people in our lives, or the tradition becomes unsustainable for a myriad of other reasons. This gives us an opportunity to create something new. 

You are allowed to be a mixture of new, updated, and old traditions. A little bit nostalgic and a little bit brand new. I know I definitely am this mixture (probably 75% nostalgia at this point though). 

Tell me, what’s your favorite tradition? (It can be new, updated, or old!) Let me know below.