Tradition

We enjoyed a non-traditional Thanksgiving Day at the museum of the American Indian on the mall in Washington D.C. It is a beautiful building full of interesting exhibits. It has a wonderful cafeteria serving various foods representing foods eaten by American Indians. Being a traditionalist, I had turkey and all the trimmings. Others in the family ate salmon, buffalo, and burritos. The kids played in the rotunda; spinning in circles until they could no longer stand. It is always wonderful to hear my grandchildren’s laughter.

Over and over again the exhibits explained that today’s Indians maintain their culture by passing the traditions from one generation to the next. The music, the dances, and the stories help them to know who they are. I think that is true for all people. Our traditions help us to know who we are.

Yesterday we made a gumdrop cake. This is a recipe that my mother-in-law gave me. She made it every Christmas. I have made it every Christmas. Now my daughter makes it every Christmas. It contains two pounds of gumdrops, “cut up fine (no black ones!).” While we cut up the gumdrops we reminisced about Christmases past. It was a pleasant evening of telling family stories. We ate a piece of the cake and it tasted like Christmas.

What food is a tradition in your house? What tastes like Christmas to you?