Traditions 
I grew up in a traditional, old fashioned home. We grew our own produce in the summer(which was preserved for winter months), chopped firewood for our furnance, visited yard sales and flea markets for treasures, bought locally grown foods, and handmade items, as well as spent a lot of time together as a family.
During the winter, I remember sitting by the fireplace with my mother working on crafts. We would make wreaths, quilts, ornaments, stuffed animals, clothes for my dolls, etc. Spending time with my mother and learning a skill was quite interesting and enjoyable, even at such a young age. I preferred sewing, painting, dyeing, and crafting over the typical kid behavior of watching tv or going to the mall. It gave me a chance to chat and bond with my mom, while we labored over a project which we could later reflect our hard earned pride on.
When I got married and moved away from my hometown, I carried on my mother's beliefs by crafting items for my new home. Shortly after having my first child though, I noticed how unfulfilled I felt when purchasing or receiving store bought toys and clothes. Soon I began to seek out handmade items for my son to play with. Even though I didn't have the time to make everything myself like I did before, I still had the option of providing him with quality toys by purchasing them from wonderful work at home mothers, just like my own mom. As our family grew from three to four over the years, and one more coming soon, I continued to buy handmade items for my children to adore. I love to see their faces when we get a new toy in the mail. They are so fascinated by the unique and imaginative details, something that is lacking in store bought items.
I even began to carry on the tradition of crafting with my oldest. We frequently spend time together drawing pictures, playing with homemade play dough, and making holiday crafts.
All in all I feel so much more complete as a person knowing that I am doing something right and carrying on a family tradition. I hope that my children do the same when they have children of their own.
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