This is how repetition made a tradition in Veronica Chamber's family: .
I grew up watching my Catholic mother light candles for .
every prayer. As a child, I didn't understand the meaning, .
but I was drawn to the light. As I grew older, lighting candles .
was a ritual that I adopted "and now I light a candle almost .
every night. When I want to treat myself, the candles are lushly .
scented creations. More often, they're cheap votives and tea .
lights purchased at the grocery store. (The Power of Family Rituals).
A tradition such as lighting candles, which probably had religious significance to Veronica's mother, can be created just because the act is repeated so often. That Veronica lost the religious meaning of lighting candles doesn't even matter; lighting candles is still a tradition because repetition was present for long enough to make lighting candles a tradition in Veronica's life. Traditions exist in families because of a strong effort put forth to repeat an act, an activity, a feeling, or a way of thinking inside a family spectrum.
Families can design nearly anything as a tradition just so long as the repetition of the activity survives. Advice is even given on how to create traditions in a family:.
Beyond getting your child off to bed on time, nightly rituals can.
carve out some quiet moments to connect, build family intimacy, .
and get everyone to relax. Try these 12 ideas " some can be done .
every night, others as one-shot distractions when your child balks .
at bedtime. We bet at least one or two will become your .
family's new favorite way to end the day.(Bedtime Rituals for Big Kids).
Which of the 12 ideas that were given was chosen wouldn't matter; just so long as that the idea that is chosen is repeated on a regular basis that idea will become a tradition in a family. The act being repeated every night makes the tradition something that the child finds missing when that particular activity is not present.