Traditions and rituals can be quite comforting given the fast-paced world in which we live. They can bring a sense of comfort and perhaps even joy. I just celebrated my one-year wedding anniversary, which had me thinking about the traditions my husband and I would instill in our new little family. After a recent outing with my next door neighbor, I came up with a creative idea that we decided to add into our wedding anniversary tradition. I thought I’d share the idea and how I came up with it. I’d also love to hear from you about what your favorite traditions/rituals are.
My neighbor grew up in Denmark, and moved around the world, eventually ending up in New York City because of her husband’s job. Every summer and Christmas break, she closes the apartment and visits with her siblings, with whom she is close. I love hearing the stories of how they spend time together, my favorite of which is her Christmas tradition. Each year, the family makes a journal entry into their Christmas Family Journal, which holds precious information such as who was in attendance, what they did, what the weather was like, and any other special moments. As the years have passed, they refer to this journal to see what previous Christmases were like.
My neighbor grew up in Denmark, and moved around the world, eventually ending up in New York City because of her husband’s job. Every summer and Christmas break, she closes the apartment and visits with her siblings, with whom she is close. I love hearing the stories of how they spend time together, my favorite of which is her Christmas tradition. Each year, the family makes a journal entry into their Christmas Family Journal, which holds precious information such as who was in attendance, what they did, what the weather was like, and any other special moments. As the years have passed, they refer to this journal to see what previous Christmases were like.
Once I heard her story, I knew this would be a perfect tradition for my husband and I. We adapted her tradition where we will now enter into our Wedding Anniversary Journal what that year of marriage was like. This will be a great keepsake not only for us but also for future generations of our family.
Once the idea was solidified, I searched several paper and craft stores to find the perfect journal. I found one that is ivory with intertwined gold wedding bands on the cover. It is meant to be a guest book, but we thought it a good fit for our own Wedding Anniversary Journal. We just made our first entries!
Now it’s your turn. Share with the Second Tuesday community what some of your favorite traditions/rituals are. I’d love to hear from you!
Second Tuesday 
My boyfriend and I have been dating for two years. In fact, this Tuesday, June 7th is the anniversary of the day we met. Our “family” tradition is to celebrate the 7th of each month together–usually just a dinner date and flowers for me. It's a nice date night that reminds us to celebrate each other every month.
I love this idea, Sarah! Enjoy this coming Tuesday. Thank you for sharing.