Sara - Payne Family Traditions - 2008

Dan and I were just talking about one family tradition we remember -- eating candy with Dad. Orange slices, chocolate, etc. Didn't we just write about food? Ok, so other traditions.

CHRISTMAS
Sometime along the line when I was probably in my early teens, we started doing Secret Santa for the 12 days before Christmas, picking a needy or lonely family to give little goodies to. We'd hide out down the street in the van and wait for the delivery person to stealthily return. We went caroling on Christmas Eve to get us all worn out for the sleepless night after our heavy traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Then when all the kids were in bed, Mom and Dad (and as I got older I could help) wrapped presents into the wee hours. Christmas morning we woke up to open presents (one at a time) and have meusli for breakfast (more food!) Of all the carols, we sang “O Du Froeliche” as our specialty.

MUSIC
Speaking of singing, another family tradition is singing hymns together at the piano, a special favorite of Dad's being “Teach Me to Walk.” Of course, I carried on the tradition of the trumpet (7th grade band!) with Dad's tutorship. Music lessons, school choir, going to musicals at ESU, ward choir, violin lessons, piano lessons, learning to conduct music during FHE, Dad's brisk marching band conducting style, singing the hymns during church services, performing in small family groups for church services and talent shows, and singing parts. Guitar is also a tradition of varying intensities with the kids. James recently rocked my children's world with his amp and electric guitar.

GAMES
We have a great game-playing family tradition. Sunday afternoons were a good time for games, and Dad taught me how to play Backgammon. Mom and Dan would go at each other's throats on Connect Four as well as Backgammon. Othello was another one and Rummy Cube as well. Boggle, Scattergories, plain old Charades, Taboo. Later on (now we are talking when John was in college) we added the, how shall I put this delicately?, "Cheap-o" games. Dad taught me how to play chess, but that never really made it as a family favorite. Mom plays checkers, and she has now taught my children how to play that as well. Sitting down for family games and puzzles means good times.

WORK
Well, it wouldn't be right to leave out a tradition of work on this Father’s Day. We have a tradition of work -- in the garden and yard, in the house, at school, for others. My memories are of Dad with the rototiller, Dad painting, Dad installing the wood floor in Cape Girardeau, Dad furiously (and I mean quickly, not angrily) doing dishes, Dad staying up late to help me write papers in high school, Dad building a deck, Dad ironing shirts, Dad raking leaves (remember when you could burn your leaves?), Dad spraying weed poison on the yard in his work clothes, Dad planting and pruning fruit trees. Now I'm not trying to leave out Mom's work either -- believe me, I get it. Practicing with us, teaching us and others, cooking not 1, not 2, but 3 squares a day, throwing birthday parties, driving us all over, doing school work with us, taking us to the doctor, making crafts and projects with us, sewing our clothes, wallpapering, endless laundry, and organizing the daily labor force.

DRIVING
Is this strange, but I think we have some driving traditions? First, "just say no to American cars." Also, long car trips on Sundays with Dad to go to church meetings (I remember Car Talk and Prairie Home Companion sometimes – is that a correct memory?). Long, sometimes smelly trips in the van – to Utah, to the Haglunds in Tennessee, to Chicago to see Uncle Paul. We played license plates, the alphabet game, I spy. We looked at maps. We got that small TV to watch movies on the really long trips. I remember turning the white Toyota over 100,000 miles and getting ice cream cones, and then selling the car eventually for $75 and two free pizzas. I remember Dad teaching me to drive in the early morning hours in the empty Cub Foods parking lot in Springfield. I think I will have a heart attack if I have to teach my kids to drive.

CHURCH
I think we have a tradition of love for scriptures in the family, and a tradition of "I'll go where you want me to go" and I'll do what you want me to do. Heaven knows we have been all over and done all kinds of things. Both Dad and Mom have a love of the scriptures that I think has been passed on, as well as a tradition of thoughtful explanation and teaching of the scriptures. Dad's scripture stories are a tradition that he continues with the grandchildren. Speaking and teaching in church are things that we all like to do – passed on from Mom and Dad as well. Missions are a tradition, in the best sense of the word (i.e., not just a social tradition), honoring your priesthood, obeying our leaders, family prayer and family home evening. Not a bad inheritance to pass on to future generations.

Thanks for the traditions, the memories, and the great family history we have. Happy Father's Day, dad!

From Sara Payne Anderson