EP – 156 The Importance of Traditions

My wife, Karen Mangum, joins our conversation to talk to us about the traditions that her and her family had during the end of the year celebrations. Karen talks about how at Thanksgiving, there would be up to 30 people at her grandparent’s house. Even with those numbers, Karen remembers that the house would be quiet enough for meaningful conversations among family members.

Some of Karen’s other memories were of the family getting together to play football with her uncles and then watching the Thanksgiving parade followed by the Twilight Zone marathon on their local TV channel. While living in Los Angeles didn’t afford many of the other natural indicators of the holiday season starting, Karen remembers how her mother and grandmother would start pulling out their pie pans to make their famous pies. One of the fun traditions that Karen’s family had was that when the children turned thirteen, they would move to the “grown-up” or “la-de-da” table.

Karen tells a fun story about what the Christmas season was like growing up in Los Angeles and how if the family wanted to have a makeshift snowman, they would need to go out and capture tumbleweeds, tie them together, and then paint them white. Karen’s memories around their family’s traditions at Christmas also revolved around having family around and just sharing space and conversations. That is not to say, that there were not some great activities that included grandpa reading stories and leading the family in prayers around the big family meal on Christmas Eve.

As we wrap up our conversation, Karen stresses that the traditions and rituals helped to bond the family members together. The members of the family that lived far away felt connected to the whole family because of a few repeated activities that were just part of what the family did and part of what all the family members participated in.

After you have listened to this conversation, please share it with three friends or family members that would enjoy hearing how rituals and traditions can be used to build family bonds that last a life time.

Links

You can click on this link to hear a past conversation about how important traditions are in helping to build strong family connections: https://cool-grandpa.us/2022/01/ep-66-grandparents-and-meaningful-traditions/

This is another one-on-one conversation about Traditions and Rituals: https://cool-grandpa.us/2021/10/ep-56-traditions-and-rituals/

Affiliate Links

These are links to products and services that I highly recommend AND use. I do get a percentage of the purchases you make.

More than GrandMore Than Grand is an excellent resource for new grandparents AND parents. Listeners of The Cool Grandpa Podcast enjoy 10% off any fantastic products that More Than Grand provides by entering COOLGRANDPA10 at checkout. To visit More Than Grand, click HERE.

Intentional Grandfathering MasterclassGrandfathers have a unique and meaningful role to play in grandchildren’s development, yet they often find themselves behind the scenes, on the sidelines, or less engaged than they’d like to be. This masterclass delivers a playbook for helping grandfathers level up their influence and impact. Listeners to The Cool Grandpa Podcast can receive 40% off this course by using Cool40 at checkout.

Grandparents academyFounded in 2011 by Aaron Larsen as a way to honor his grandparents, GrandparentsAcademy.com is the world’s first and only online academy dedicated to helping grandparents grow meaningful relationships and rich legacies with their loved ones.

My Grandpa’s Grandpa

When it is time for bed, Charlie’s grandpa tucks Charlie in. Charlie asks his grandpa many questions about his grandpa’s grandpa. Charlie’s grandpa shares a magical moment as he introduces Charlie to his great-grandpa through fun memories.

 

This is a smooth mouse pad for even smoother browsing. The top lets everyone know that you are a Cool Grandpa or have a Cool Grandpa in your life. The rubber bottom guarantees no slip around the mouse (optical and laser). The mouse pads will serve you for years without fraying or pilling.

If you prefer an eBook, you can download the Kindle version by clicking on this LINK.

Recent Podcasts

EP – 210 Tips To Find Peace This Holiday Season

EP – 210 Tips To Find Peace This Holiday Season

This week is our final one-on-one conversation for 2024 about being a cool grandpa. In this conversation, I share valuable insights and tips for grandparents navigating the holiday season. I emphasize the importance of flexibility, adjusting expectations, and focusing...

read more
EP – 209 The Sweet Journey of Ricky Dickson

EP – 209 The Sweet Journey of Ricky Dickson

Cool Grandpa Ricky Dickson is joining me to discuss his experience as the CEO of Blue Bell Ice Cream and being a father and a very cool grandpa. Recently, Ricky published his book, One Scoop At A Time, which is an excellent book about his time at Blue Bell, from...

read more
EP – 208 Daddying: More Than Just Fatherhood

EP – 208 Daddying: More Than Just Fatherhood

Allan Shedlin from DADvocacy Consulting Group (DCG) joins this week's conversation. We get to know Allan and his experience as both a father and grandfather. Allan also shares his work as a principal at an elementary school in New York City and as an advocate for...

read more