Unique family traditions and quirks that make you smile
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My in laws were pretty darn tight with money to say the least (even though they had lots of it) when my sister in law got married they gave her a pizza oven thing, I was helping her pack up the gifts and noticed it seemed to have a bit of an oily feel to it......it had been used LOL. Unexpected, but not totally surprising.
From then on whoever got married, engaged, had a milestone birthday or sometimes even for christmas, they got the pizza oven. Sometimes we'd put crumbs in it or a bit of crusty toasted cheese for them.
The pizza oven went around the family for almost 10 years before someone dropped when they were drunk (no, it wasn't me) and smashed it.
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@kezmusc , I love that story! My husband's family used to have an inappropriate birthday card which was sent back and forth for each sibling's birthday, with a line through each old message. It was originally sent by a rather crass uncle to my husband's sister when she was 13, and includes a saucy joke.The joke never dies.3
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@Ellamary98 Hee hee! Love that. Must have been very tatty by the time it was done!0
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@jennyss I took my daughters (12 & 13) to the shops, yesterday. It was the first time we've had a girlie clothes shopping day, going to boutiques instead of rushing through Target or Kmart. They've both been with friends and their Mums this year but I was too ill to contemplate it. One of the things that I didn't expect was feeling so close to my Mum during the experience... Just like she did with me, I was giving my girls honest feedback on colours and styles in the change rooms area and then dashing back out into the shop to find different sizes, etc. It brought back so many memories of those shared times.6
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So @jennyss. Life can be rich and rewarding but the way it chips away at you can be hard. Enjoy those happy memories of your gorgeous mum.
@Sister Took my 15yo bra shopping yesterday, then out to lunch. It was lovely. She's so open and relaxed with me. I was dashing about finding bras, discerning what she meant by a "funky" one! So enjoyable. K xox6 -
My 12 to bought some neutral makeup yesterday (as did her older sister last year) to start practicing at home so she doesn't look like a clown when she finally does wear it out. I spent some time with her this morning showing her how to apply it, just as my big sister did with me. Both girls at the table trying out different looks. Takes me back.
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@Nadi this is a wonderful idea for a post!
We have lots of words that the kids mispronounced when they were little and we use them as part of our vocab. My favourites are hydedrated instead of dehydrated; faflingo instead of flamingo and punkin instead of pumpkin.
Friday night is family night. No matter what we've all had on during the week (I have three adult 20+ kids and a 12 y/o), Friday is the night that we all have dinner together no matter what, and usually with extended family - grandparents and cousins. The kids often go out after dinner but they all make dinner together, a priority.
At least once a month, at one of these Friday night dinners, we have a TV show theme song session, when we sing as many old TV show theme songs as we can remember. The kids love singing their favourite TV theme songs from when they were preschoolers.
My 21 year old daughter and I watch goggle box together as a religion hahaha
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@Eastmum I absolutely love Gogglebox. This reminded me I have a special tv show with two of my sons that only we watch together. The first is MMA mixed martial arts which I watch with my middle son. We were introduced to this by my wonderful father-in-law who passed away from melanoma and watching it together makes us think of him. The second is Survivor which I have been watching for over 12 years with my youngest son. Survivor is kind of special. Coincidentally many past contestants have come on to that show while their mother has been battling breast cancer or has died from breast cancer. We watched this together before, during and after my diagnosis. My son mentioned that he could now 'qualify' because of my BC which was a little sad. During chemo he also began rubbing my bald head while we watched it. Guess he found my baldness strange. Then he would comb my fuzz after my hair began to grow back. Now he's too cool for all that, but we still watch together.5
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My favourite mis-sayings by our children, which have become part of family vernacular are:
'Buttercups', instead of hiccups.
'gobbles', for goggles
'Brefrex', for breakfast
Uncle Mark, Get Set, Go!
and 'Judy and the Beast'.
Like you, @Eastmum , we have a special meal which noone would miss. Big Family Brefrex is every other Sunday and alternates with Sunday family dinner. We set the table with all the trimmings, including an assortment of cups and saucers, and play trivia games and quizzes. Occasionally, we will invite extended family, but it really is our precious time in an otherwise non-stop weekend schedule.
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@Ellamary98 My eldest was tripped up by 'breakfast' as well. He said "breaksrp" which I still use from time to time.2
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@Ellamary98 love those sayings! How adorable.
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@Nadi Our kids aged 19 and 22 still loves Xmas and are like toddlers Xmas morning under the tree. No lone money or gift cards alllowed for any birthday Xmas etc a gift card to accompany another gift is ok but it’s preferred we got out and get something to unwrap
. We still get hand written cards for hubby and me for birthdays fathers and Mother’s Day and for my birthday this year they got me one that said happy birthday grandma! I had a slight stroke as I took it literally for around 3 seconds but it was just a dig at my age the little fuckers! They still come for breaky on a Sunday morning at least twice a month.
I always make us all have a family pic at least once a year. They all whinge at the time but later on they all love it x
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This idea is delightful, can't help but smile and appreciate how the small things strengthen relationships and well-being.Our family word for disaster or not coping comes from a Monty Python skit "Albatross" eg, 'How did you get on with Centrelink today?' reply, "ALBATROSS!" (disaster and frustrating beyond belief, nothing achieved). We also speak of 'inventures', eg, 'well, shopping for a new handbag was quite an inventure'. Our son at 3yrs old could not say adventure, he's now 44 and still tells us of his latest 'inventure'.2
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My nephew (when about 8) misheard my mother when she called him 'Sweetheart' .... thinking she'd called him "Wheatheart'' (a breakfast cereal!) He said - "That's ok Nana - you can call me 'Wheatheart' - you can even call me 'Corn Flakes'!!" I thought that was absolutely GORGEOUS! Not sure if it became a family tradition tho! LOL1
