Family Customs and Traditions.

Recognizing the importance of maintaining open communication with immediate and extended family members, this book provides a compilation of ideas for family traditions and customs that are grounded in compassion and human kindness. The traditions were gathered from families in the United States and Canada who responded to advertisements in various locations. Chapter 1, titled "Family Harmony," contains short personal narratives describing ways families deal with commonplace events such as bedtime, food preparation and mealtime, greetings, chores, reading, storytelling, and television viewing that provide the basis for cherished childhood memories. Chapter 2, "Christmas and Chanukah Celebrations," includes personal family religious and secular traditions related to gift giving and receiving, foods and decorations, and family gatherings. Chapter 3, "Other Holidays, Birthdays, and Other Celebrations," presents family practices for Thanksgiving, Flag Day, New Year's Day, Father's and Mother's Day, birthdays, and adoption anniversaries. Chapter 4, "Invented Holidays," contains narratives describing individual families' celebration of invented holidays such as Back-to-School Holiday, Aunts' Day, or Midsummer Holiday. Chapter 5, "Keeping in Touch," includes ways families maintain contact with one another, such as audiotape round robins, family newsletters, and family reunions and auctions. Chapter 6, "Traditions Rooted in Superstition," presents "superstitious" traditions such as leaving by the same door one entered and various New Year's traditions to bring good luck. Chapter 7, "Miscellaneous Customs and Traditions," includes traditions not fitting into previous categories, such as developing a time capsule for a new baby, honor plates for family members, and vacation memory books. (KB)