Traditions
By Sydney and Margot
"Some people don’t even realize the traditions they hold. "
Sydney: Welcome to Traditions, a podcast created by two close friends, Sydney and Margot, who wanted to explore similarities and differences within our family rituals. We hope you enjoy our comparing and our contrasting.
Margot: Merriam-Webster defines the word “tradition” as “the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction.”
Sydney: When thinking about the title of our project, What We Hold, Margot and I agreed that traditions are truly what we hold near and dear to our hearts.
Margot: Traditions manifest themselves in very different ways within families, friend groups, relationships, religions… you name it.
Sydney: Some people don't even realize the traditions they hold.
Margot: We interviewed our mothers to learn more about some of the traditions we will one day pass on.
Sydney: First, my mother speculates on her traditions. She grew up with two siblings and loving, loud, Jewish parents.
Sydney: What do you think that the most important tradition, or lesson, that you want us to pass down is?
Jenny: Um… that’s a tough question for me. I’m not sure we have traditional… ideas about family traditions. Because I think the things that I pass down to you or that are important to me I wouldn’t put in the category of traditions.
Sydney: Like what?
Jenny: Like, we have this really honest relationship with each other and we make sure to check in even if we’re at odds with each other, we always make sure to check in and know that I’m here for you, you’re here for me, and that, like, open, honest conversation always works—always benefits us in the end.
Sydney: So, do you think that you’ve implemented this, sort of, like… philosophy by having, like, open and honest conversations? Or how have you, like, kind of got yourself to that point with us?
Jenny: I think I have, because… I think, the one thing I remember my mom always telling me was—well, two things: “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me,” and “There’s nothing that you could tell me that would make me stop loving you.” And I feel like I always tell you girls that.
Sydney: Mm-hmm.
Jenny: And I feel like I know that we have these really deep, emotional connections and relationships and, even if you don’t tell me things, I always know when something’s going on and I have like a way of prying it out of you because I can read you really well.
Sydney: Were you expecting that we have fun little traditions like family breakfast and annual hiking trips? Well, you were wrong. But my mom’s philosophy on traditions contrasts sharply with that of Margot’s.
Margot: My mom grew up in a German family that prioritized quality time and ritual. A lot of the traditions that we have in my family today can be traced back to her days growing up in rural Connecticut.
Margot: Hi, mom!
Hanna: Hey, Margot.
Margot: Tell me about a tradition that is important to you and our family.
Hanna: Well, one of my favorite traditions is a Christmas tradition, and that is to put real candles on a Christmas tree. And, um, there are a couple reasons why it’s really important and special to me—one is that I literally don’t know any other American families who do it, so it was something that really was unique when I was a child and it remains unique as an adult. But, um… the experience of sitting by a tree with real candles on it is… magical. For your whole life, you probably remember that I would say the same thing when we would go to a Christmas tree lot—
Margot: Oh, yeah. "Our tree is out there!"
Hanna: Our tree is out there, that’s right! And so even though we go to a Christmas tree lot in a parking lot of, you know, a school or a Safeway, it still reminds me of going out actually onto these tree farms on this old road where my father would have the saw and we would cut down the tree.
Margot: And how would you hope that we, your children, would keep this tradition going?
Hanna: Um… well, I just—I hope that it is special enough to you that you find a way to do it in your families and adapt it. So, I think finding a way to still do it, but also, you know, have a little fun with it. That’s what I would hope for you.
Margot: My traditions are tangible and plentiful, unlike Sydney’s. Both traditions are valuable and loved, but manifest very differently.
Sydney: Even Margot and I have our own traditions in the making.
Margot: On our Wednesday weekly drives home together, we grab Chipotle and debrief our weeks.
Sydney: During finals, we wake up early and study at Peet’s Coffee with homemade pancakes in plastic bags.
Margot: Whenever we discover a new French pop song, we recommend it to one other.
Sydney: It’s a tradition for us to congratulate each other on accomplishments and hard work.
Margot: Like that time we both got 100 percents on our French tests.
Sydney: Yeah. Before we simultaneously dropped the class…
Margot: Yeah… désolée!