Some traditions begin with a lot of planning.
Others begin with, “Want to stop for something on the way home?”
Then you do it again. And again. Eventually somebody notices that you drove past, and suddenly you’ve broken a family rule you didn’t know existed.
That’s how the small traditions get you.
A coffee together on a particular morning. Ice cream after an activity. A treat when somebody has had a rough week. The place you stop when a relative comes to visit because you want to show them a little piece of your everyday life.
The food is part of it, of course. We are fairly invested in that part.
But the repetition gives it something extra. You know what to expect. You have time together that already has a place in the week. Years later, the memory may be less about which flavour you chose and more about who was sitting beside you.
December can make it feel as though every enjoyable moment needs decorations, a guest list and considerable preparation.
Your ordinary routines are allowed to count too.
If The Nest has become one of those regular stops for your family, we’re glad. It is a lovely thing to realize that a place we spend so much time working in also has a place in someone else’s memories.
And if you’re looking for a new little tradition, start small.
Pick a day. Bring someone you like. Have something good.
See whether they notice if you drive past next time.