Oh Those Family Traditions by Rose Anderson

Tradition
*Here’s a bit of the standard definition:

1. The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.
2. A long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting.
3. A continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.
4. A customary or characteristic method or manner.

When you stop to think about it, our world is filled with such processes and procdures. Never is tradition more present in our lives than in the months of November and December. For example: in November, Americans have their Thanksgiving dinners with tried and true recipes reserved just for that day. In my family, these once-a-year side dishes are all that remain of family members long since passed. We have another Thanksgiving tradition in my family – churning butter.

My then soon-to-be husband and I were back to the land urban dwellers who left the big city for the country. Back in the day, we looked for every opportunity to learn to do things by hand or make things from scratch. You wouldn’t believe the old-timey things I know how to do! Before we married, he gave me a small glass 1930’s butter churn. As you can see, the nifty little gadget has a tin lid outfitted with a crank and cog that turns a tin paddle inside. 

In my mind's eye I can almost see the original owner as she wielded a specially designed spoon to carefully skim cream from the milk bottle for her butter churn. Then as now, through domestic alchemy, heavy cream whirled in this ball-shaped thingamajig becomes butter. How cool.

We made butter for our first Thanksgiving as newlyweds and have done so every Thanksgiving since. My husband and I took turns back then, and yes it took a while, but hey, homemade butter. Not once in 37 years did it go unused. 


As our family grew, the tradition of making butter for our Thanksgiving feast passed to the kids. Funny how time changes things. As little children they got to make the butter. Yay! As teens they had to make the butter. Blah. As adults, our son and daughter still make our Thanksgiving butter in that little churn, but now the truth is out. They confessed they'd actually never enjoyed making the butter. (Hmm...mom and dad have memories saying otherwise.) 

The whole thing has become a source of endless laughter. The thing is, it’s not an easy task. In fact it takes at least an hour of constant cranking and often longer depending on the temperature of the cream. The highlight of making butter is not the end product, it's coming up with ways to pass it off to the other person -- "Here, churn for a while. I need to use the bathroom" or "I'll be right back, I have to help mom". Of course the intent here is to simply walk away and stick the other person with the job.

Last week's Thanksgiving butter torture was as hilarious as always. My soon-to-be daughter-in-law had a go as did my two teenage nephews. We needed the extra muscle. This year was one of those 90-minute churn-fests. Even I took a turn but failed trying to dump it off on my son. My kids have come up with some colorful names and comments for the butter churn since confessing their disdain a decade ago. 

Thanksgiving lament
I can't believe it's not butter
Ball of hatred
The rage ball 
Wheel of vitriol
Vitriolic hate machine
Edward’s bane
Butter slavery
The #@&%-ing butter churn
The churn of pain
The churn of death
Death by butter

What a funny crowd! Yes, I give thanks.

And speaking of traditions...Not all that long ago there existed a thoughtful and personal way to tell someone you were thinking of them. Throughout the month of December and up to New Years Day, I'll be sharing 100 years worth of my vintage holiday postcard collection. Stop by my blog and enjoy the lovely keepsake correspondence people shared before the impersonal internet came into our lives. Be sure to scroll back so you don't miss any.  Subscribe and you'll get them straight to your inbox.

Do you have funny traditions? Share a smile in comments. :) 

*Thank you Dictionary.com

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About Rose
Rose is a multi-published, award-winning author and dilettante who loves great conversation and discovering interesting things to weave into stories. She lives with her family and small menagerie amid oak groves and prairie in the rolling glacial hills of the upper Midwest.

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