This is the first year that I’m spending the holidays
away from my family. As I type this, I’m watching the snow fall while
listening to Sirius Radio Hanukkah. My feet are propped up on the couch,
and Gracie my cockatiel is preening herself.
We just finished watching my favorite holiday classic, Meet Me In St. Louis. It’s my favorite holiday film not because of Judy Garland’s beautiful version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” but because in the opening scenes of the film, the family is making ketchup. I’ve never made ketchup, but I love the IDEA of making ketchup. I think this movie reminds me that not everything used to be processed and canned the way it is now.
And that’s how I feel about my holiday vacation this year. It’s new and different for me to be away from family. I’m making up traditions as I go along instead of taking part in the usual processed events I’ve participated in for the past 35 years.
Instead buying a tree, I decorated my ficus. Instead of passing up roast beef on Christmas Eve, I tried halibut for the first time (and liked it!). Instead of praying quietly in church on Christmas Eve, Jacek and I took a midnight drive to a empty, snow-covered parking lot where we hit the brakes and did donuts. Today, we’re planning on celebrating Christmas day together by watching the 6th season of The Sopranos.
Now there’s a family steeped in tradition. Granted, it’s a bloody and violent tradition that is oftentimes misogynistic and racist, but nobody sticks to tradition like Tony Soprano. Shoot his nephew Christopher and find yourself capped in the back of the head. Beat up his sister Janice and find yourself with a broken nose. Retribution and retaliation figure largely in this world where men must commit acts of violence to garner respect.
Unfortunately, violence is a part of many traditions, both secular and religious. Though this time of year generally brings cease fires between warring factions, we cannot but be reminded of the religious zealotry and/or absolute steadfastness to tradition that has often led to these violent disputes.
Maybe it’s a little simplistic of me to think this, especially given that my words come from a place of privilege and ease, but wouldn’t it be great if we could throw out some of the old traditions to make way for different ways of doing things?
So instead of sticking with processed and canned traditions, I think I’ll make my own ketchup this year.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a happy new year.
We just finished watching my favorite holiday classic, Meet Me In St. Louis. It’s my favorite holiday film not because of Judy Garland’s beautiful version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” but because in the opening scenes of the film, the family is making ketchup. I’ve never made ketchup, but I love the IDEA of making ketchup. I think this movie reminds me that not everything used to be processed and canned the way it is now.
And that’s how I feel about my holiday vacation this year. It’s new and different for me to be away from family. I’m making up traditions as I go along instead of taking part in the usual processed events I’ve participated in for the past 35 years.
Instead buying a tree, I decorated my ficus. Instead of passing up roast beef on Christmas Eve, I tried halibut for the first time (and liked it!). Instead of praying quietly in church on Christmas Eve, Jacek and I took a midnight drive to a empty, snow-covered parking lot where we hit the brakes and did donuts. Today, we’re planning on celebrating Christmas day together by watching the 6th season of The Sopranos.
Now there’s a family steeped in tradition. Granted, it’s a bloody and violent tradition that is oftentimes misogynistic and racist, but nobody sticks to tradition like Tony Soprano. Shoot his nephew Christopher and find yourself capped in the back of the head. Beat up his sister Janice and find yourself with a broken nose. Retribution and retaliation figure largely in this world where men must commit acts of violence to garner respect.
Unfortunately, violence is a part of many traditions, both secular and religious. Though this time of year generally brings cease fires between warring factions, we cannot but be reminded of the religious zealotry and/or absolute steadfastness to tradition that has often led to these violent disputes.
Maybe it’s a little simplistic of me to think this, especially given that my words come from a place of privilege and ease, but wouldn’t it be great if we could throw out some of the old traditions to make way for different ways of doing things?
So instead of sticking with processed and canned traditions, I think I’ll make my own ketchup this year.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a happy new year.
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