Learn About Someone Through Holiday Traditions
Posted on : 12-10-2008 | By : Frank Eliason | In : Holiday, Personal
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No matter your religion, or even if you do not have a religion, you probably have some traditions that you like to do this time of year. I celebrate Christmas, and I enjoy decorating the house with lights and putting up the Christmas tree. I also have other traditions, like ordering Chinese food for Christmas eve. That started because of a lasagna that burned one year. Now it is an annual event that I look forward to.
At the start of the season I always watch my favorite Christmas movie. Although I love Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story, my favorite is the original Miracle on 34th Street. As I have stated in many posts, I am a big believer in Customer Service. This movie shows true Customer Service. The scene where Kris Kringle refers Customers to Gimbels to locate a certain gift is a favorite. I also love how this drove 2 big competitors to realize the benefits of doing business in this manner. Wouldn’t it be great to see businesses run like that? I know it is something done at Zappos when they are out of stock of certain shoes, but I have not heard of many other companies that realize this would be a great long term approach. It tells the Customer that you should always try us first because if we do not have it we will help you get it. It is this personal touch that would increase revenue and Customer dedication. Unfortunately companies probably view it as a short term cost. I wonder if some of these leaders watch this movie each year? Go into Macy’s today, all I see is fewer registers and sales people. It is the same as going into Walmart, except you have to go to more register boxes instead of sales people building a relationship. No wonder they were not permitted to use the Macy’s name in the 1994 remake.
Another tradition I have is playing a song, usually many times over. I have never heard the song on the radio, but to me it is the meaning of the season. I am very family oriented and this time of year to me is all about family. I think of our Angel Gia throughout the season. I miss her everyday, but especially this time of year. At the same time there was nothing as special as hearing our Lily call out “Night lights” as we were driving around looking at Christmas lights. I also love how we connect with so many of our our family and friends. My favorite song is sad to some, but to me it brings out the true meaning of the season. The song is ‘Dearest Santa’ by Bobby Vinton. Here are the lyrics:
Dearest Santa
Would you listen and lend an ear
‘Cause I only come around once a year?
And this is for a very special cause
My name is Santa ClausOne Christmas Eve, I visited a home
Where children lived who’ve no home of their own
And though I brought them gifts galore,
This is what one asked me for…“Dearest Santa, I don’t want toys
Or choo-choo trains with lots of noise.
I want a home like other boys
Christmas day.“Dearest Santa, I will be
Just as good as I can be
If you’ll give me a family
Christmas day.“I’m so lonesome, I’m so blue.
Is there somethin’ you can do? oh…“Please, dear Santa, don’t ignore
This little boy who’s begging for
A mother whom he’ll just adore
Christmas day.“I would be so proud and glad
If I could just say, ‘Meet my dad,’ so…“Please, dear Santa, heed my quest
And tell them I’ll behave my best,
That if they’d take me, they’ll be blessed
Christmas day.”
So what are some of your traditions? What do they say about you?
I fondly remember listening to the Beach Boys “little st. nick” while making christmas cookies with mom in our kitchen. I’d watch “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street” (and I still do) after I would get home from my Grandmom’s house (bless her soul in wherever she went up to). I’d spend all night at her place staring at this wonderful star on her tree, which is now mine. Some things have changed up, and it makes me sad… but essentially, the memories I have keep the traditions going, even if they aren’t the way I remember.
i just went and saw gia’s website … i don’t know any of your history, only some work tweets. i’m sending a fond thought to you and your family. i know it’s MUCH different, but my grandma died two years ago the 28th, and it’s strange to be happy and festive and a little melancholy at the same time.
you didn’t ask, but my favorite religious song is ‘o holy night.’ my favorite secular song … there’s many. i’ll go with ‘rockin’ around the christmas tree’ for uptempo (I LOVE THAT SONG!) and ‘have yourself a merry little christmas’ for slow tempo. modern day — ’same auld lang syne’ by dan fogelberg and my generation’s christmas goodie, ‘merry christmas will do’ by material issue.
can you tell i love music? it’s part of any tradition i have. our family has lost extended members over the years and i miss a lot of the things we used to do. i hope to reinstate the family tradition of going around to look at christmas lights with my friends here in chicago. there’s something about it that just makes me happy. (and there’s also the schadenfreude of horrible decorating!)
anyway … wish you well this holiday season.
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