When you no longer have to say "Let's do this again next year" and everybody concerned just expects something is going to happen at the same time, then a tradition has been established. Keeping a tradition works unless everyone gets pissed off at each other and they stop doing it. Well, that is with the exception of elections when everyone traditionally becomes pissed off at each other and they keep doing it anyway.
Same Time Next Year
All societies seem to develop certain traditions whether they be based on times of religious significance, historical remembrance, or whatever it might be that a culture deems worth recognition and celebration. Most of us welcome holidays as times for getting away from work or school and having an excuse to go someplace, to party, or to just stay home and relax. And as though the societally accepted days of recognition were not enough, we and our families come up with our own additional special days.
We tend to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other noteworthy dates with parties, cards, gifts, dinners, or some kind of recognition. There are annual communal gatherings to watch recurring events like the Super Bowl or the Oscar Awards. If something's worth celebrating then it's more fun to do it with people whose company you enjoy.
Now many of us can add the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge to the "same time next year" event schedule. When I started that first Challenge in 2010 I didn't think about it becoming an annual event. Then when I saw the level of interest and how many people wanted to do it again, same time next year was a natural response. Now here we are seven years later doing the eighth annual Challenge. I guess we can consider this Challenge as an annual blogging tradition!
Are there any traditions that you have established with family or friends? Do you enjoy attending family gatherings or other similar social events? Are you already planning to come back same time next year for another Blogging from A to Z April Challenge?
Traditions seem to last as long as someone wants to organize and clean up afterwards. Maybe it was simpler in the cave man days - when traditions might be celebrating the full moon, the first harvest, or spring equinox. Who knew when birthdays or anniversaries were? No calendar time, just stars, moon, and planets. Anyhow, I'm going to the Haiku Flower Festival tomorrow which is kind of a tradition - it's an annual community event that happens in the spring, whenever the organizers think rainy season is over. Maui Jungalow
ReplyDeleteCourtney, I've come to the conclusion that traditions are established for economic purposes. I can't afford a lot of traditions anymore--not in the way that society often expects from us.
DeleteLee
The a to z does seem to have become a tradition - like birthdays, anniversaries and other holidays. Thank you for starting it - such a fabulous idea and I've read so many wonderful blogs thanks to pushing myself to find the time to blog, read and comment. Its a fabulous tradition.
ReplyDeleteScenes from a Marriage #Lexicon of Leaving
Kalpanaa, hope that as long as people blog there will always be some carrying on the A to Z tradition. It seems to bring a lot of bloggers together and so much creativity abounds.
DeleteLee
At the beginning of this post, I was thinking I don't have any personal trend ... By the end I was like, oh well I do... This is my second year. If things will be favourable in 2018 then Same time next year :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
Best Wishes
Karnika, personal traditions can take some time and often we aren't aware that we have them until after we've been engaged in doing them for a while.
DeleteLee
The A-Z is definitely one of my favourite blogging traditions. It's just super! A lot of whats/hows of blogging I've learnt over the years at the A-Z, apart from a raft of other things.
ReplyDeleteThank you for creating it and to all the co-hosts for putting in the work to continue it. Much valued and appreciated!
Nilanjana.
Madly-in-Verse
Nilanjana, Thank for participating. If not for the participants A to Z wouldn't be much of a tradition other than my own if I kept doing it.
DeleteLee
Russell & I have established a few traditions since we've been together but not at all like me & my ex-h did. He was way more sentimental than Russell is. As for getting together w/ family, I'd rather just see my stepkids, and my inlaws. I've never felt like I was a part of my own family....literally a duck out of water. lol
ReplyDeleteJoJo, I think sentimentality plays a big role in many traditional gatherings. There needs to be some impetus to bring people together on a repeated basis.
DeleteLee
A to z for next year is half done, so I'll be back even if I croak lol family gatherings can be fun, I tend to just stir up crap and watch the chaos, rather amusing.
ReplyDeletePat, you sound too organized. Actually I think I might already have a few posts done for next year unless I change my theme beforehand like I did this year.
DeleteLee
I guess it comes from our need for mutual celebration and camaraderie - any excuse for a party. I'm definitely feeling a communal spirit with the Challenge and I'll be back next year!
ReplyDeleteNick, it will be good to have you back. I can remember younger days when we didn't need any reason to party other than it was the weekend.
DeleteLee
We don't have any family to speak of here, so it's just us. We always celebrate birthdays and anniversaries; sometimes with friends, other times not, but we enjoy each other's company. December is pretty social all month long. As for the A to Z, you must be so proud to see how it's evolved over the years! This is the 4th one in a row for me and to be honest, it's been the most difficult. Internet fatigue set in early and there's a lot of stuff going on offline. Even though I had more posts pre-written, I'm much further behind than before. Not sure about next year and that's the first time I've said that. (Probably the fatigue talking). Come January, it's likely I'll be enthusiastic again (hopefully).
ReplyDeleteDebbie D, there is a bit of being proud about the A to Z though now it's become more of a feeling of responsibility. If so many people didn't keep coming back for the Challenge I don't know if I'd keep doing it. But it is kind of fun.
DeleteLee
We do our "spring cleaning" in the days before Diwali. That's probably the only annual tradition in my family. Clean out all the cupboards, move the furniture around, wash the floors (not the daily mopping), make sure all the brass trinkets are sparkling again... you get the idea, right?
ReplyDeleteIt's a time for treasure hunt in the family. We find a lot of "lost" items! :D
Happy AtoZing!
Chicky @ www.mysteriouskaddu.com
Chicky, an official spring cleaning sounds like a good idea especially if everyone gets involved. When I do a deep clean I often find items that I thought had been lost or that I'd forgotten about.
DeleteLee
I endure family gatherings rather than enjoy them. The only regular gathering I look forward is my weekly meet-up with friends at my favourite pub every Tuesday! 3 days to go! Next year? yes, I'll be back, and as with previous years I've already settled on a theme! How sad is that!
ReplyDeleteAmble Bay's fabulous shops!
Keith, I don't think having the theme settled on for next year is sad at all. I usually do as well but then change my mind as April grows near. Since I retain those unused ideas I still have a lot to draw upon for any future Challenges. Anyone need some theme ideas?
DeleteLee
The title of this piece reminded me of the movie with Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn. I will definitely be back same time next year! Thanks Arlee, for all your hard work on this!
ReplyDeleteJanet, I guess the movie was named after the old expression that has been around since I was a kid. I've heard people say this so often.
DeleteLee
Traditions give order to sometimes complicated lives. Locally, we had to New Year's Bonfires along the Miss. River in the German Coast. Mardi Gras, is of course, a great tradition. And honoring certain saints on their field days.
ReplyDeletePop Tart, so true. Individually we can think about what we want to do in the upcoming year or longer. It's imperative to plan ahead when a celebration is on a bigger scale like a festival.
DeleteLee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteI do keep yearly traditions but I don't like attending large gatherings of any type regardless if these are with family or friends. I prefer small cozy get togethers. I plan to do another show of the A2Z challenge next year Lord willing and the creek don't rise. This little annual event gives me direction for one month on how I want to showcase my blog. I hope this go around I can use as a springboard into a new direction. We'll see. Thanks for visiting often this month, my friend. I don't know how you do what you do but you always impress me. Have a good weekend!
~Curious as a Cathy
Art Sketching Through the Alphabet “S” (Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs)
Cathy, I'm not a fan of big gatherings either. My preference these days is mostly just being with family.
DeleteLee
The A to Z Challenge is a fantastic tradition. This was my third and I'll be back again next year. I have enough theme ideas to carry me through another eight or nine years. (Not saying they are all good ideas, but I have them.)
ReplyDeleteTrudy @ Reel Focus
Food in Film: S’mores
Trudy, I don't know that the theme ideas have to be all that good as long as the blogger is creative enough to pull them off well.
DeleteLee
There are a couple of yearly occasions that call for celebration with me... One is Groundhog Day. Our family has celebrated that, since the kids were old enough to know what was up. The other is my Birthday. Birthdays are special to me, and not to be taken lightly. The one upcoming in June will have even greater significance, considering I am currently convalescing from suffering a heart attack a couple of weeks ago...
ReplyDeleteYour vision of the A to Z was a brilliant stroke, Sir. It has brought joy and purpose to so many, over time.
Michael, thank you for your kind words. Take care of yourself so you can be with us for many more A to Z Aprils.
DeleteLee
Mr B the A to Z was a great idea. You should be proud of what it has achieved.
ReplyDeleteRob, most of all though it's been the great bloggers like you that have made A to Z the popular event that it has become.
DeleteLee
This definitely works for this challenge:) the most we did that would be a same time next year type of thing is still related to holidays...on December 5th, my mom would tell us that we had to polish all the shoes because St. Nicklaus would be coming and if we were bad, we would get a potato but, if we were good, we would get chocolates. This is the one time we loved to clean the shoes. On Dec. 6th, we always had cholcates in our shoes and my parents had potatoes. I do this with my hubby today and I bought little chocolates for my friend to start the tradition with her. Daughters. They now really look forward to it
ReplyDeleteBirgit, traditions are especially fun for kids and families. Sometimes those traditions can get passed down through each generation..
DeleteLee
The challenge is definitely one of my 'same time, same place next year' events. I've also doing it with a Halloween themed book blog hop at my blog. The first time just went so well, I did it again and again.
ReplyDelete~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Patricia, blogging provides some great opportunities for recurring events.
DeleteLee
We really don't have any family traditions. Each family unit within our overall family might have some. We are so scattered it is hard to have any overall family traditions. Our family is in Kansas, Washington, Texas, Ohio, and really other places I can't remember.
ReplyDeleteMy immediate family does have the tradition of putting of the Christmas tree the day after thanksgiving, watching Jim Carreys "the Grinch who stole Christmas every Christmas, and then taking the tree down on New Years Day.
We started a new tradition in our house, two years running now, Christmas dinner is now always Prime Rib.
Gregg, I grew up in a similar family situation to yours and my own family has been somewhat similar as we are scattered. Keeping it close within the immediate family is nice.
DeleteLee
We watch Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I've done this every year since I was a kid. Most years, we watch it first on Thanksgiving. It isn't a given that our kids are going to be here with us, so sometimes it gets shifted around. Another tradition is that we do not put up the Christmas tree until our oldest daughter's birthday, which is exactly a week before Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI loved going to Granny Gunter's house for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners as a kid. We never had to question where we were going to spend the holidays. We already knew and Granny was the world's best cook. :) I have enjoyed each family reunion that we've been able to attend, though overall, I do not like large gatherings of people. I get sensory overload and just can't function in a crowd, no matter its purpose.
YES! I am planning to be here next year. I already have a theme in mind and maybe, just MAYBE I will actually get the posts scheduled ahead of time for once. haha
Have a blessed evening. :)
Suzanne, I hear you on the sensory overload. Too many people gets overwhelming for me at times, but it can be exhilarating as well.
DeleteLee
Oh yes, it most definitely can be exhilarating. It can be easy to get caught up in all the fervor of the moment.
DeleteHave a blessed night.
Yes, I am planning on coming back next April. Already have a theme spinning in my mind...or spinning my mind. 😜 The only truly unique thing I can think of is that my husband &his father always celebrated their birthdays with one big party. Pete, July 14th and his dad, July 16th. His Dad passed and a year later our
ReplyDeletedaughter was born on the 16th! They have carried on the dual celebration tradition.
Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead
Barbara, I think a lot of us with active imaginations start coming up with all sorts of A to Z theme possibilities.
DeleteLee
I sure consider the Challenge an annual blogging tradition, even if this is just my third year.
ReplyDeleteI also consider NaNoWriMo an annual tradition... and I've been doing that for more than 10 years now.
I think there's something nice about a recurring event that we like to celebrate, especially if it's something we chose because it has a particular meaning to us. There's an expectation, and as for events like the Challenge, there's an eagerness to do better and better every year.
It's an experience of grawing, I think :-)
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - 1940s Film Noir
Sarah, I finished 2 Nanos but there is usually so much happening for me then that I just can't focus on it well. I guess if I prepared ahead of time like I do with A to Z I could manage better but then it would be against the "rules".
DeleteLee
A to Z is the highlight of my blogging year. Of course I'm planning on being back next April.
ReplyDeleteThe only tradition we have is having pizza rolls for dinner on New Year's Eve. I don't remember how we got started, but that's what we do.
John, if you make them yourself the pizza rolls sound pretty good, but the frozen ones were pretty bad last time I tried them.
DeleteLee