The holidays are all about tradition. For most of us, it's that period of time when we revisit our traditions with our lovely family. I will tell you about my family tradition in December, how it came about, why it is the most cherished, and why it's special to me.
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Growing up as children, we didn't observe anything that looked like a family tradition until we lost our dad in 2007, the year that bears so many memories and emotions for me and my family. Things became so tougher than they used to be. It was difficult for my mom alone to bear. My siblings and I were still in school then; no one had started making money, as at that time, my mom would hustle day in and night just to ensure that none of us dropped out of school. She's the pure definition of a multitasking woman. She did different kinds of business at the same time just to make ends meet. I wonder if I have the kind of grace she has. I remember vividly how she would leave home at 5 a.m. before my siblings and I woke up and then return at night for several years, consistently. This routine continues on a quest to play her role. She hustled like a man, and her hustle paid off. Today, all my siblings and I are graduates, and we all reside in different states, with our spouses doing fine by God's grace. Courtesy of my mom's tireless effort to see us through even after the demise of my Dad. I call her a hero—a wonderful, strong, and brave woman. I can imagine how hard it is for a mom to raise six kids alone into adulthood. I really admire the way she took care of my siblings and me in the past years♥️
Mum reflected on how God came through for her,helped her to sponsor all of us throughout our schooling days, provided for our basic needs, and above all, saw all of us become better today, thus creating a family tradition of a yearly Thanksgiving that follows a process. It's been over 16 years, and family Thanksgiving has become a tradition on every Christmas day in my father's house. I see this as a way of expressing gratitude to God for all He does.
So once Christmas is approaching, preparation for the family tradition begins. Mum would put a call across to my siblings and me, reminding us of our family tradition and encouraging us to create time, be home if possible, and contribute money for items to be used for the Thanksgiving in the church. A life animal is a must, and the biggest kind of goat 🐐 irrespective of the cost among other items. On Christmas day, all my siblings who made it home will gather in our family house and move to the church for the Thanksgiving. It's always a memorable event. The music, the dance, and, the joy and excitement on everyone's faces are always intriguing.
Once we are done with the church thankgiving, we will return home, where mom will perform her spiritual exercise on us; it's a prophetic prayer session, and she will pray for us individually, placing her hands on our heads and giving us those motherly blessings that will carry us through the next year. My mom is a praying woman—a warrior, no doubt—and I am trying my best to follow in her footsteps. A mini-party follows suit after this session.
It's merriment time, the last lap of the family tradition where we eat together as a family, dance to loud music😀, gist and gossip together about life, creating more bond between my siblings and me. The session is usually a fun-filled moment and a memorable event or tradition that I am always craving to witness; unfortunately, I will miss it this year as I wouldn't be travelling home .
Family is indeed everything. It's a special tradition that has come to stay, and I don't see it ending anytime soon because it has a positive impact on our lives. This, however, is my most cherished family holiday tradition—a wonderful tradition that my mom created for the whole family.
Thanks for reading through 🤗
