Traditions

I love traditions. I respect them and the value they hold to people. In the craziness of the holiday season, I feel like traditions are something I want to grasp hold of tightly. When you get married, it is interesting to see how traditions from both the husband and wife's family make it into the new marriage. Some have to fall by the side. And when you have kids, it is a peculiar feeling to me that we feel the need to start new traditions or even highlight ones that you grew up with. On a later post, I'll mention more about Christmas. I do know that in the Thanksgiving/Christmas season, I want Harrison to always be a part of "giving back" to someone or something. When our kids are older, I'm thinking that we are going to volunteer at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. I've always heard of families doing that, and I've thought it is so cool. Anyway, I decided that each year, Harrison and I are going to do an Operation Christmas Child box for another child his same age/gender. I thought it would be fun for him to get to pick out toys for someone that isn't as fortunate as we are. And secretly, I thought it would also be a good idea for him to see someone else getting toys other than him. So, we went to Wal-Mart to fill up our box. On the way there I explained what we were doing, "Harrison, we are going to buy some toys for a little boy doesn't have as much as you do." And then I asked him what he wanted to get and he mentioned mostly dump trucks. When we arrived at Wal-Mart, we had to return something first and the ladies at Customer Service asked Harrison what he was shopping for at Wal-Mart. He immediately replied, "toys." Right or wrong, I was embarrassed because I didn't want them to think I was just spoiling my child with toys. So, I inserted, "we are getting toys for a boy that is less fortunate, right Harrison?" And he said, "Uh-huh...toys for baby Fisher." What? How did he interpret a boy that doesn't have as much as he does as Baby Fisher? I explained to the ladies who Fisher is and that we were NOT buying him gifts. They got a good laugh out of it...as did I. However, I'm a little concerned about Harrison's current perceptions of Fisher.
While actually shopping for the toys, Harrison did not really like the idea of giving the toys away. Even though he is such a sweetheart, it was a great picture for me of our own selfish hearts. The idea of giving up something for yourself is great, but when it actually comes down to doing it, the act is much harder. Now that we have done it and turned it in, Harrison is really glad he did it...I think. So, there you have it...one of our new traditions.