5 on a Friday

As Halloween is very soon - typically a time of tradition i.e. carving a pumpkin, dressing up, trick or treating - today lets talk about traditions.

What traditions do you follow?

are they personal ones, family ones, regional or national? at work? school? do you have a favourite tradition you look forward to more than anything else?



I'm not one for following traditions if I'm honest - we rarely do anything for Halloween - although I have been known to carve a pumpkin for the window (that's one of mine at the top). When I was little it was carve a turnip and stick a candle in it, and walk round the neighbours in the cold in a bin bag! now its all too commercial for me - plus who needs all the sweets? I do have a few things I will do year in year out though!

1. New years day walk: We started this as 'new' family tradition a few years ago and are enjoying keeping it up! Whether its wet, windy, snowing or just freezing (which is usually the case) we have gone out for a walk, Pete,Tom and I. This year we were up to our knees in snow - wonder what 2011 will bring?
2. Friday night is Pizza night. more a convenience for me so I don't have to cook 7 days a week - but the boys love Pizza - so Fridays are a no cook day for me and we have pizza - either take away or bought in the supermarket and cooked at home - not by me! LOL
3. Making my own Christmas cards. OK so not really a 'tradition' as such but its something I have made sure I have done every year since I started being a hoarder of stash. It uses up some of the extra card stock, and makes me feel I am ok to have as much paper and card and stamps and inks and general stash that I do as I could in theory use it all up just by making Christmas cards every year.....
4. Pancake day! another foodie one. I LOVE pancakes - they are extreme non diet - I have to have syrup on, and so once a year is all we have them! Nothing remotely religious about our pancake day as we don't do lent.
5. Christmas family tea at Aunty Pams. Usually happens a day or 2 before Christmas but depending on what day Christmas is it can be on Christmas eve. Pete, Tom, Jamie and I all go, and also my Dad and Wendy, and of course Pam and Stuart are there. We exchange Christmas gifts and cards and catch up on the gossip and family news. It's a once a year time I see them all together, and I love it. I quite often don't see Pam in between, although I do see my Dad a couple of time in the year (Birthdays, Fathers day) so it's quite special for that reason alone.