March Traditions

Traditions play an important role in the rich engagement of communities and families. Ultimately, it is often these times that we remember when reflecting on our past.  It is also these memories that influence who we are and what we pass on to our children, and they to theirs. Here are some traditions to make your March a little more memorable.

Make it a Tradition

• • • March 2nd  Dr. Suess’s Birthday and Read Across America

Oh, the places you will go!

Read-a-Meal– Spice up morning breakfast with some Green Eggs and Ham. Take some time to enjoy reading the classic with the family.  If it’s not your favorite, pick another.  Go ahead, ask a child or her brother. If they say, they don’t care, give them that, “I’m your mother” stare. Picking any book for a good read is a gate into pastures of cognitive thinking.

• • • March 13    Daylight Savings – Set those clocks an hour ahead.
    • March 15    The Ides of March – Take your family orations to the next level with a little Shakespeare.  
    • March 17    St. Patrick’s Day – Discover why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Who was St. Patrick and how did he become a patron saint in Ireland? Why did the clover represent his influence?  How did a parade made to uplift wayward soldiers, then homesick immigrants, become an American tradition? Why do we associate Leprechauns and rainbows with the holiday?
    • March 20    Vernal(Spring)Equinox – Marks the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Explore the start of new growth by taking a family hike at one of Ventura Counties many amazing vistas.

Test your green thumb and  grow at home: herb garden, fairy garden, spring flowers or summer veggies.

Fun St. Patrick’s Day Traditions

☘️For my daughter, St. Patrick’s Day is about trying to catch a Leprechaun and hunting for golden chocolate coins hidden in the clovers.  Here are a few fun memory making ideas certain to make the youngsters squeal and teens groan. ☘️

• Build a leprechaun trap– As easy as grabbing any container or shoe box. Add some flair to your box. Find a good spot in your yard. Gather a few clovers, flowers, and/or anything shiny to place under your trap. Use a stick to prop up one side of the box and look in the morning to see if your trap worked.
• Hunt for four-leaf clovers– The Southern Californian landscape is covered with the foliage. Take a hike at one of the many local parks, hillsides, trailheads or estuaries.  Bring an old camera or cell phone and let the kids take pictures of fresh spring growth.  Make it a learning experience: use the opportunity to discuss the change of seasons. Secretly store a few treasures in your pocket to hide along the trail near patches of clovers for added excitement. 
• Craft a Clover– A good way to decorate and add a little cheer to the neighborhood. Create paper four-leaf clovers to place in your window or paint on rocks to hide in neighbor’s yards. Cut out four hearts and tape together for a quick but efficient template.  Don’t forget the stem. A long slanted rectangle will suffice. Implore neighbors to join in on the fun. Take a walk through your neighborhood and see how many you can count.

Reflection

Life is fragile, it always has been.  It is also a gift, meaningful and fulfilling.  I love the wildly inspired look in my daughter’s eyes when she sees a rainbow, earnestly begging to search for that elusive pot of gold.  Or when she sets up a fairy-garden in hopes of catching a glimpse.  It is this kind of inquisitive imagination, I believe, that has her reading fluently and engaging in the great outdoors. Dressed head to toe in green,  applauding the local talent, and conversing with the community at our local parade, has been one of our family traditions.

I recently had a birthday and took a moment to reflect on my forty-five years of life experiences. Memories of songs sung, stories read late at night, silly holidays and special ones, filled my mind.  It wasn’t the things I had, or didn’t, that shaped me. Neither did they inspire my reflections.   The savory perfume of my mom’s spanakopita baking is instantly palpable, at the memory of family gatherings.  Perhaps it is my nostalgia that exploits my need to create great traditions during this time of limited normality. But, I have always been a little extra when it comes to celebrating and creating traditions.