Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.
Like clockwork each year, one of my kids joins me for a trip to the attic. After shifting around a few boxes, we uncover several bins marked “fragile” and carefully carry them down to the living room, where our fresh, yet bare Christmas tree eagerly awaits its transformation.
These boxes hold our family’s treasured Christmas ornaments. While the bins are relatively light – and, thankfully, have never been dropped – they’re incredibly heavy with meaning and memories. Each ornament is like a tiny time capsule that preserves our relationships and life’s milestones. As we hang each one, we share stories and reminisce.
There’s my mom’s favorite ornament, the one she always hung herself when I was growing up. There are personalized ornaments that marked the births of my children and grandchildren. And, of course, the ones collected during vacations or special occasions.
As the family gathers for our annual tree decorating ritual, I’m struck by how this tradition has been repeated every year of my life, across multiple generations, and by millions of families for centuries. It’s a timeless tradition that weaves together our memories, strengthens our connection to the past and present, and helps shape our family’s identity.
The season of timeless traditions
Decorating the Christmas tree is far from the only timeless holiday ritual, and that’s a big part of what makes the season so special – and so important. The memories and emotions they evoke make us want to repeat them and share them with our children and grandchildren.
I recall visiting Santa Claus during my childhood, a tradition intertwined with bustling trips to the store to buy gifts. The anticipation and wonder of those moments remain vivid in my memory, and now, I love seeing the excitement in my grandchildren’s eyes and know exactly how they feel.
And then there are rituals around gathering and food. For holiday parties at home, my wife, Marylou, extends the ornament tradition to our guests. She creates personalized ornaments and uses them as place settings for each guest to bring home and hang on their own trees.
On Christmas Eve, Marylou works her culinary magic, and our family of three children and seven grandchildren gathers to celebrate. We track Santa’s journey, enjoy holiday treats, and end the night by attending Mass. By Christmas morning, the house is quite the sensorial experience: the sights and sounds of everyone reacting to what’s inside their stockings and unwrapping presents, and the aromas of the delicious feast.
Many of you likely share similar traditions (with your own unique spins), while others may have completely different rituals. Yet, as the new year begins, the result is always the same: We all feel more connected to our families, friends, and the memories that shape us. That’s the power of timeless traditions!
Embracing new traditions
Traditions may be timeless, but that doesn’t mean they’re frozen in time. With each generation, they adapt to the world around them. A family recipe might take on a modern twist, a cherished holiday activity may incorporate new technologies, or rituals once centered around elders might transform as younger generations step into leading roles. Far from diluting traditions, these changes enrich them, keeping them relevant and meaningful.
Sometimes, new traditions emerge. One of my favorites is The Elf on the Shelf. It started in 2005 when Carol Aebersold and her daughter, Chanda Bell, self-published The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. Inspired by their family custom, the story follows a Scout Elf sent by Santa to observe children and report back in the weeks before Christmas. Each night, the elf magically flies back to the North Pole and then returns home, always to a new hiding spot.
Since its debut, more than 13 million elves have been “adopted” by families. This tradition has added a playful challenge for parents to find new hiding places and created a sense of wonder and delight for children as they wake up eager to discover their elf’s latest "magical" antics.
It’s the perfect blend of creativity, anticipation, and joy. (I’m especially thrilled that Cheryl’s Cookies, The Popcorn Factory, and Personalization Mall have partnered with The Elf on the Shelf to help families create even more magical moments. Be sure to visit those links for ways to make this tradition even sweeter and more magical!)
What makes The Elf on the Shelf so special is how it reflects the evolving nature of holiday traditions. While longstanding customs like decorating a tree or exchanging gifts connect us to the past, new traditions like this one offer families opportunities to create rituals that fit their personalities.
As we celebrate both old and new traditions, let’s remember what makes the holidays truly meaningful: the love we share and the memories we create. Whether you’re decorating a tree with cherished ornaments, visiting Santa at the mall, or enjoying quiet moments with loved ones, take a moment to appreciate the traditions you’re nurturing and passing to future generations.
All the best,
Jim
Explore Popular Celebrations Pulse Topics
AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder, CEO, and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
