All families have their own way of doing things.  It needn’t be formal traditions, simply the everyday activities, customs and favorite pastimes that make up the uniqueness of family life.  We are no exception.  But when we were raising our young family, little did we realize how those customs would become embedded in the lives of our children, and that we were laying the groundwork for future generations.

Now that we have grandchildren, we are seeing our children delight in revitalizing those family activities.  Suddenly, old toys take on new lives, perhaps enjoyed the most by their original owners the second time around.  The huge bubble maker came out again recently.  It still works as well as it did before, and brings the same smiles.

Each of our children had a “playak” at the cabin.  They provided hours of fun, going beyond a simple floating boat to becoming pirate ships and swimming platforms.  For now, they have been renamed “yellow boat.”

Birthdays meant picking a theme for the party, and then creating a shape cake to complement the decorations.  We had great fun planning and decorating them together.  Not only has my daughter carried on that custom, but has shown great prowess in her designs!

I think one of my favorites is a true tradition.  When my father was baptized, someone hand made his baptismal gown, complete with tucks, lace and a matching under garment.  I and my sisters all wore the gown, as did all of my children.  98 years later, it is now on its fourth generation.

What a joy to watch the great circle of life, and see just what family customs have been treasured enough to repeat.