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8 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | DECEMBER 2023 | Christmas traditions… what are Christmas traditions? What are traditions? We heard Teyve, the milkman of Fiddler on the Roof, bemoaning the absence of traditions. Traditions are older, slower, frames of thought and culture, but it doesn't have to be that fixed and maybe we should consider the change of time and cultural climate. However, in the focus of today's media market, tradition is oen confused with a trend. Tradition is not a hard and fast rule, sometimes. We know Christmas is near when we hear the Salvation Army bell ringer in front of Stater Bros. and the sudden appearance of Christmas tree lots for our traditional Christmas tree. (For years we cut down our own tree but age crept in so we went to plastic.) What about Charlie Brown's Christmas, e Nutcracker, gingerbread cookies and houses, and the Christmas pickle? Are they traditional events? ey only appear during Christmastime. en there is the loathsome "Elf on the Shelf," the gi exchange that yielded the "Ugly Christmas Sweater" (I got one), and the re-giing of Aunt Judy's fruitcake which finally aged aer 10 passings. Traditions? We can't forget about Santa Claus and St. Nick. Now those are traditions. Traditionally, the countdown to Christmas is well versed through the Advent Calendar and e Twelve Days Of Christmas. (Ever wonder what it would cost for twelve drummers drumming, and six geese a laying?) Our neighbors decided on starting a tradition of luminaries along the sidewalks. e number of sanded (from sand stolen from the kids' sand box) paper sacks with lighted votive candles expanded in number throughout the neighborhood for the five years. Wind and rain interceded and so went the tradition. So, traditions can come and go, as long as my wife says we keep the tradition of "cookie exchange." It is that time of the year. Have a merry and joyous Christmas! Coming soon… Wednesday Bingo Nights; Dec. 1 First Friday TGIF & Karaoke; Dec. 9 Hometown Holiday Celebration, Golf Cart Parade, Holiday Concert; Dec. 10 Brunch at the Bistro; Dec. 13 Open Session Board Meeting; Dec. 16 Social Committee: Holiday Home Tour benefiting My City Youth of Hemet; Dec. 31 Social Committee's New Year's Eve Party - Mardi Gras. Social Committee