Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A family tradition is a pattern of behavior that reflects and reinforces a family’s values, attitudes, or beliefs.
Family traditions are exclusively inherited through parents or ancestry, and therefore reflect the history of that
ancestry. Whether it’s something as large as traditional family recipe based on cultural heritage or as small as a
traditional family saying started by a grandfather, family traditions have impact.
6. Family Recipes
Family recipes are one of the best ways of keeping past
cultural heritage alive. Recipes brought over from the “old
country” or even homemade recipes created by a great
grandmother make excellent family traditions because
cooking together keeps families connected. If you don’t
have a family recipe, consider starting a new one. Take the
family’s favorite meal and make something special, then
teach the kids how to make it themselves. It’ll become a
family tradition in no time.
8. Family Superstitions
From things as small as lucky socks to larger or spookier beliefs, such as belief in a family ghost, superstitions
exist in every family. These superstitions may be based on a religious reasons or even an old family rumor, but
over time the practices of that superstition often become a family tradition.
9. Annual Photos
Large family portraits or annual photos make for excellent family traditions because they provide beautiful
photos to look back on. In the years to come family can watch other family members grow through each annual
photograph or portrait. Plus, it makes picking a family Christmas card photo easy.
Family traditions are essential ways of preserving family history and values. They also provide opportunities to
establish connectedness and reaffirm identity of family members. Without family traditions, many of the stories,
beliefs, and teachings of a family would easily be lost through the generations. For example, many traditional
folk dances wouldn’t still exist today if it weren’t for family traditions successfully passed down.