Winter Traditions – Is It Time to Create New Ones?

Is It Time to Create New Ones?

by Rita Fowell – Nature Educator at Eagle Point-Blue Rapids Parks Council

Do you want to build deeper relationships and stay connected with family? How about starting new traditions? Winters are long in Alberta! Having traditions that you look forward to can help to make the months pass by quickly! Something to keep in mind about traditions is that they may not outlive you! While it is important to lobby family to keep traditions alive it is also healthy to be flexible as traditions will naturally change over time. It is not realistic to think that over the course of your life you will always get to eat Grandma’s homemade meat pie on Christmas Eve. When Grandma cannot make meat pie anymore, is there another favorite food that someone else enjoys preparing? Make it a priority to spend time in the kitchen with Grandma and learn her secrets of making phenomenal meat pie and keep that tradition going for another generation!

When my children were young, we would go to the woods every December to find the perfect Christmas tree, then we would enjoy lunch and hot chocolate around a fire. Even though our children are adults now, starting their own family traditions in other communities, my husband and I continue to go and cut our own tree. We found other families in our community to join us on our trek out to the woods. A new twist on a long-standing tradition but looked forward to all the same!

Why not start a new tradition? Perhaps when a couple gets married, children arrive, aging parents pass on or you move to a new community away from family. Any milestone event in your family history can be worthy of a new tradition.

Here is a fun challenge for you to discuss with your family or friends! Sit down after Christmas and set a tradition you can start for each month of the year. These do not have to be elaborate events to plan.

Here are ideas to help you get started on your quest to create new traditions.

 

January

Nordic Skiing!

The Eagle Point Loppet hosted by the Pembina Nordic Ski Club  is a great event for all ages and ability levels. It is an exciting time of fun outdoors and rental equipment is available.

February

Night Walks Under the Stars.

Kids love to use headlamps on night walks! Check our website for ideas of great trails in the area at www.epbrparkscouncil.org/activities/. for trail maps in Eagle Point Provincial Park.

Road Trips

Do you want to go further afield for an annual pilgrimage? Head to Maligne Canyon in Jasper and enjoy the ice walk or visit Abraham Lake to see the bubbles. You can also see bubbles on local lakes, but you need a year when there is no snow on the lake, and it is cold enough to be safe for walking. When visiting these icy spots, don’t forget your cleats!  Read our reviews on different styles of cleats in  “Avoiding Winter Slips and Falls.”

March

Spring Soup Sunday!

Designate someone to put soup in the slow cooker while others bring veggies and dessert. Meet at a favorite spot for outdoor activity (if you live in the Drayton Valley area, perhaps a round of disc golf at Ivan To Park) then head back for a hearty soup meal.

These new traditions may continue for generations to come or last only a few years, whatever the case they will do their job of keeping you connected with others in your family or community! Enjoy the winter!