Make a Memory
Try out a few new traditions to connect with the special people in your life.
By Heather Johnson Durocher
Quality conversation over coffee. A trip to the country. a neighborhood potluck. As onetime gatherings, such experiences make life enjoyable. As recurring events we can look forward to, they’re integral to creating a sweeter life.
So says Colleen Carmona, who believes traditions are what make life more memorable. The Madison, Wis., resident shares her own traditions – as well as provides a forum for others to do so – on her blog, CafeTraditions.
“Our goal is to serve up inspiration for people to create traditions in their lives,” says Carmona, who operates the blog with the help of her husband. “We believe that traditions are the key to making lasting memories and enriching our souls.”
Big or small, elaborately planned or casually organized, traditions lead to stronger relationships with those around us. They bond us at the time, and give us something to cherish and talk about for years.Although holidays, birthdays and anniversaries are natural times around which to build traditions, any time of year is ideal for starting one. Incorporate more traditions and meaningful exchanges into your life in the following ways:
• In the neighborhood. Sure, it’s easy enough to wave to each other as you pass by, but consider the benefits of making the effort to truly get to know your neighbors. Plan an annual summer barbecue, an autumn block party or a spring cleanup event. Has a new family moved in across the street? Start your own welcome wagon by dropping off a plate of cookies, homemade bread or a ready-to-heat casserole.
• With good friends. It’s all too easy to lose touch with our close friends as we carry on with our busy lives. Carmona’s solution: Start a monthly “breakfast club,” which each person takes a turn hosting. With far-flung pals, initiate a once-a-year get-together at someone’s home, or at a more exotic locale, such as a spa or hotel.
• For the kids in your life. Saying “No” to kids sometimes feels like a constant for parents – and even for grandparents, too! Give the little ones in your life a boost by creating a “Yes” jar. Stuff it with slips of paper listing activities they especially enjoy. Once a month, allow them to pick from the jar and get to hear “Yes!”
• In the workplace. Brighten your co-workers’ day by bringing in flavored coffee and making a pot of something other than the normal, run-of-the-mill stuff. Leave a note by the coffeemaker encouraging people to try it – and to bring another flavor the following week.
Celebrate summer by buying a few boxes of ice-cream bars or Popsicles and treating your colleagues on a Friday afternoon. Leave a note on the fridge, asking them to pay the favor forward.
