Lately I've been thinking a lot about the little things that are unique to my family. The traditions and habits and quirks that we share that would probably seem odd to others, that make me smile. For example,on birthdays we always give a card that is not a birthday card, e.g bon voyage, best wishes on your christening, congratulations on your engagement, graduation card, get well soon, wedding etc etc. For my 50th my sons gave me a sympathy card. We think it's hilarious and we really look forward to seeing what type of card we'll get.we don't say "Happy Birthday", we say "Happy to You" this is because one of my sons used to say it incorrectly when he was little and the saying has just stuck.balloons on birthdays are compulsoryIf you're male in our house you will always get one sock for every year of age on your birthday. We have lots of spare socks from those odd years.we have an emergency word, which is a word we use when we may be struggling with something (like we're depressed or deeply upset) when we can't bring ourself to talk about it. The word is 'pineapple'. If any one of us randomly says that word or sends it in a text, then all the family will immediately drop everything and rally round, no questions asked because sometimes it's easier to say a single word, rather than trying to explain a difficulty you're experiencing or that you are feeling badwe have the same seat at the dinner table. What's funny is that when we eat out we sit in the same positions.It's a tradition in our house that when my boys got their first pay from their first job they would take mum (me) out to dinner.If one of us gets a promotion we always go to Pancake Parlour to celebrate - we've done this since our kids were toddlers.Just wondering what quirky traditions other families have.

We have words and phrases that we've kept in use from when the kids were little, the mangled ones, the sweet attempts. One of my favourites is the 'red danger', my nephew's name for the gas stove lighter. Now they come in many different colours but we all still say 'where's the red danger?'!We have food traditions of course. And at birthdays, your presents always get piled in The Little Pram which is left waiting for you in front of the fire. It's a toy pram, an old fashioned one made of white wicker, that belonged to me when I was a very small child. My birthday's in the winter, hence the placement in front of the fire. Occasionally I've forgotten to do it and boy, do I get into trouble! The 18yo son is most insistent! We even specifically designed a storage space for it when we renovated our house.Another very family specific tradition is at Christmas. My parents are English and we always had our Christmas meal in the evening. As kids my sisters and I were always up at dawn's crack, and so to keep us going through the day my mother decided to split the present opening. The Christmas tree was a small one and on a round table. Presents on the floor under the table were opened in the morning, presents on the table (smaller and often jokey) were opened in the evening, before dinner when we were small, after dinner when we were older. They're called Christmas Tree presents, and now with a big tree on the floor, we mark the gift tags with a little Christmas tree to differentiate.Quality Streets at Christmas, always!I have some sadness round some of these family traditions. There was only two years between myself and my deceased sister. When she died she took the memories of my childhood with her. She's the only person who shared them with me. My remaining sister is six years younger than me and was raised differently. E and I shared a room, had our own words and particular ways of comnunicating that we continued to adulthood. We had our own call and response if separated, and it makes me sad that I'll never get to do that again. This is making me a bit teary! FU breast cancer.

We always went to the same place for Christmas holidays. Our girls never asked to go somewhere different because it was acknowledged as chill out time for everyone to do their own thing...my husband catching up with reading, my embroidery and the girls always playing monopoly. Having said that Uno and Trouble were always played when we went camping at Easter. Very loudly! Also Rummikub. I'd always make the girls their birthday cakes, they would get to choose what design. The ones i had the most fun making were their 18th cakes. One was a Tardis from Doctor Who and the other was this cube thing from a game called Portal.

Cant think of too many at this moment but there probably is !!When we are all together for birthdays we sing Happy birthday at about 5 times the speed it should be , any outsiders look on in amazement their faces are priceless.My dearly departed uncle used to concoct weird & wonderful stories for us growing up , his attention cry at a BBQ usually in the Dandenongs was 'Cook-a-chook' . A phrase often repeated for a laugh !My young cousin always said capushion for cushion we still use that ! lolAs early teens my boys liked getting Lynx deodorant ! I still buy it for them for Xmas as a joke !They're not impressed !

@Nadi we unwrap on our bed too- 5 big kids and two cats. We keep saying 'this must stop' - last year someone sat on my jam toast- but we carry on. :) AND, my husband's only dessert is also the infamous trifle. It's a family joke, because it is rarely successful, despite his crowing!

@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.

Unique family traditions and quirks that make you smile

35 Replies

kmakm
Member
7 years ago
We have words and phrases that we've kept in use from when the kids were little, the mangled ones, the sweet attempts. One of my favourites is the 'red danger', my nephew's name for the gas stove lighter. Now they come in many different colours but we all still say 'where's the red danger?'!

We have food traditions of course. And at birthdays, your presents always get piled in The Little Pram which is left waiting for you in front of the fire. It's a toy pram, an old fashioned one made of white wicker, that belonged to me when I was a very small child. My birthday's in the winter, hence the placement in front of the fire. Occasionally I've forgotten to do it and boy, do I get into trouble! The 18yo son is most insistent! We even specifically designed a storage space for it when we renovated our house.

Another very family specific tradition is at Christmas. My parents are English and we always had our Christmas meal in the evening. As kids my sisters and I were always up at dawn's crack, and so to keep us going through the day my mother decided to split the present opening. The Christmas tree was a small one and on a round table. Presents on the floor under the table were opened in the morning, presents on the table (smaller and often jokey) were opened in the evening, before dinner when we were small, after dinner when we were older. They're called Christmas Tree presents, and now with a big tree on the floor, we mark the gift tags with a little Christmas tree to differentiate.

Quality Streets at Christmas, always!

I have some sadness round some of these family traditions. There was only two years between myself and my deceased sister. When she died she took the memories of my childhood with her. She's the only person who shared them with me. My remaining sister is six years younger than me and was raised differently. E and I shared a room, had our own words and particular ways of comnunicating that we continued to adulthood. We had our own call and response if separated, and it makes me sad that I'll never get to do that again. This is making me a bit teary! FU breast cancer.
arpie
Member
7 years ago
Wow! @Nadi - what WONDERFUL quirky traditions you have! I laughed out loud at a few of them! What a clever way of communicating with your family with your 'secret word' ..... that is just brilliant - on so many different levels!

Sadly, I was at boarding school from very early junior school right thru to Higher School Certificate - so I was only ever at 'home' for holidays - and sadly after altercations with my stepmother was kicked out of home within 12 months of leaving school (as also happened with my sister but within 6 months!) .... so we missed out on most of the family birthdays, traditions etc ... and I never had kids (married one tho!)

I know one of my brothers ALWAYS brings out a CD of The Muppets at Xmas as a part of their family Xmas gatherings & his kids have carried that on.

My husband & I always have a picnic by the water for our Xmas Lunch & then launch our kayaks & have a fish (the waterway normally being totally devoid of boats - a real bonus!)

Whenever I visit family, I always do a 'special whistle' as I approach an open window or the front/back door, to announce my arrival ..... and they know it is me.

I always have the toilet roll showing with the tissue coming 'over the top' (not underneath .....) and an old buddy who visited last week (friends from the 80s) used to ALWAYS change it over, just to annoy me! LOL

Keep 'em coming! ;)
Afraser
Member
7 years ago
Not really quirky but we still refer to washer faces - my daughter when very small tended to turn phrases around.
Karenhappyquilt
Member
7 years ago
We we still give our grown up children Santa sacks on Christmas morning. We always have melon balls as part of Christmas lunch because my mother in law started it when all the grandchildren were little. The oldest grandchild is almost 40 now.
Sister
Member
7 years ago
I'm going to have to think about that - I'm sure we have quirks, but they seem normal to us! Your first one did make me think of one of ours - we do say Happy Birthday to each other, but it's also likely to be anything but. Instead, we say Happy Easter, Happy Father's Day, etc.
My husband and I keep the same seats at the dinner table but the kids rotate, seaonally. They think it's so that they get a change; we know it's so that we get a break from looking at each particular child's eating habits!
Small wrapped presents are always guessed as undies - obligatory.

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Unique family traditions and quirks that make you smile

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