Family Traditions

On the left you see a table spread for a reception that we provided for a few friends. A small pedestal dish contains what we call "Papa's Mints," which are a popular tradition in our home. It began one day when I could not find a special butter-mint that my husband remembered as a child. Most of the commercial mints of this nature were not a soft, melt-in-your-mouth confection that I was looking for. I shall include the recipe for these, at the end of this article.

After making these mints, they were placed inside a clear glass container. I offerred them to members of my family, and thought nothing of it until their next visit when they went straight to the kitchen and looked for the jar. "Where are Papa's Mints?" they asked, from the youngest, aged two, to the oldest, Papa himself, age 62.

Traditions in the home aren't really something that you decide to establish. They often come as family members become fond of something. You may sing a lullabye one night, or tell a story, and the next night, behold, they all remember, and want you to do it again. This is the way the private and unique family traditions are established. These traditions are the things that bond the family together forever. While the calendar may call the population to observe holidays with names like Groundhog Day, your own family can make their own calendar with their own celebrations. This is the way that people come to say things like, "We always go to Papa's house to help make apple cider when the apples begin to fall from the tree."

There are other traditions that develop without us even knowing it: sayings that begin in early marriage, and family rhymes that happen by accident.

Two traditions I like are special foods and special songs, so here I will post the mint recipe, and after that, a special lullabye. It is possible we may be able to provide the tune for it by clicking on a place where it is sung, later.

Papa's Mints: Mix 2-1/2 confectioner's sugar (600ml) with 3 Tablespoons (50ml) butter, 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) cream, and 1/2 teaspoon (2ml) peppermint flavoring. You may substitute flavoring if you like, for spearmint, wintermint, --even cherry and other flavors. After mixing, you can divide it several ways into small bowls and add coloring. Mine that are pictured are left plain. Roll into a rope about 1/2 inch (1.5cm) in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, and then cut into slices however thick you want them. Let stand on waxed paper several hours or over night. This mixture may also be pressed into candy molds.

Slumber My Darling - a little known composition by the Stephen Foster, (1826-1864) best known for "The Old Folks at Home." This is a favorite of our family, and our son in law played the guitar and sang it during the reception. You can hear a line or two sung here http://www.americanrootspublishing.org/media/slumbermydarling.mp3 and you may be able to download the entire song sung by Alison Krauss from the web. The sheet music can also be obtained from ebay, Amazon, and other locations.

Slumber my darling, thy mother is near

Guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear.

Sunlight has past and the twilight has gone,

Slumber my darling, the night's coming on.

Sweet visions attend thy sleep

Fondest, dearest to me,

While others their revels keep

I will watch over thee.

Slumber my darling, the birds are at rest,

Wandering dews by the flowers are caressed.

Slumber my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,

And pray that the angels will keep thee from harm.

Slumber my darling till morn's blushing ray

Brings to the world the glad tidings of day

Fill the dark void with thy dreamy delight--

Slumber, they mother will guard thee tonight.

Thy pillow shall sacred be

From all outward alarms;

Thou, thou art the world to me

In thine innocent charms.

Slumber my darling, the birds are at rest,

Wandering dews by the flowers are caressed.

Slumber my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,

And pray that the angels will keep thee from harm.

On the web are various commentaries about blogging. Some of these articles on quite prominent sites, even news sites, dismiss them as housewives writing down their daily activities, and hardly worthwhile. I would not discount these blogs, for they are more important than people think.

Since many young women these days have not grown up observing their mothers at home from sunrise to sunset, these blogs provide an insight into how life at home operates. Cleaning, organizing, meals, childcare, marriage, and managing finances are things that are learned almost unconsciously when growing up with parents whose goal is to have a happy, contented family. Some people may not have experienced that.

The Christian homemaker's blogs give the new homemaker some idea of the purpose and progress of life at home; some model to follow. Rather than being trivial, these weblogs, even in their simplicity, contain wonderful words of life. They bring hope and reassurance to many a young woman who feels she is pioneering an area that is not charted.

I know that I, as a homeschooler in the late 70's and early 80's felt, without a guide before me, frightened and lost, without direction, and the world against me. I could at least look back a generation or two further and remember that American education and economy was largly family based at one time, and they succeeded. Schools do not prepare us for this kind of life, because homemaking is not regulated by time slots, subject matter, report deadlines, bells or attendance.

Most young people experience leaving the home as soon as they wake up. After many years of this kind of conditioning, it can be quite a challenge to stay home and pay attention to the tasks at hand. These daily homemaking blogs can be quite informative and motivating to new homemakers. It is help available at your fingertips. They can get a lot of ideas about the traditions of home life from opb's--other people's blogs.

If you know of, or have a homemaking blog, please post it in the comments.

Click on the dining room picture for a larger view.