1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to start a new tradition. Lots of 4 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: holiday traditions will need to change this year, but with 5 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: a little thoughtfulness, you can create new traditions that you'll 6 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: want to keep even when the world goes back to 7 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:34,480 Speaker 1: something approaching normal. In recent episodes, I've been nudging people 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: to remember that the holidays are upon us. So much 9 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: associated with the holidays is tradition. We do it over 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: and over again, and yet so much is going to 11 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: have to change. There won't be the big parades or 12 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: parties of years past. These things can sneak up on us. 13 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: We aren't actively thinking, oh, yeah, I always go to 14 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: this party, until you realize that the party isn't happening 15 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: and the season can suddenly feel strange. Best to know 16 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: this is going to happen and to make other arrangements. 17 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: I think the best approach is to think creatively and 18 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: figure out how you might start a new tradition that 19 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: is fun enough that the missing traditions don't feel so 20 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: bad and you're inspired to stick with the new ones. 21 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: For instance, I love going to holiday concerts, and there 22 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: are going to be far fewer holiday concerts this year. 23 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 1: But I could choose some favorite Christmas albums to listen to. 24 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: I can play through my favorite holiday carols and hymns 25 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: on the piano. Maybe I'll sing along. My kids are 26 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: usually in the church Christmas pageant. My guess is that 27 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: there won't be a pageant this year, but I have 28 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: five kids, including a baby. I could stage my own 29 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: Nativity tableau if I wanted, with stuffed animals serving the 30 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: role of beasts in the stable. In any case, I 31 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: can have the kids read the Christmas Story from the 32 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: Bible at home too. We could figure out a way 33 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: to have this feel festive if we are going to 34 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: have fewer parties, maybe we make more cookies at home. 35 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: Maybe we try a new Christmas dish or craft. This 36 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: is the year to experiment. Make a list of ideas 37 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: you might try, ask your family members what they'd like 38 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: to try, and then as you're working through the list, 39 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: pay attention when are you really having fun? What does 40 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: everyone seem to like? A year ago, my now eleven 41 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: year old and I made a lego gingerbread house, and 42 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: we really enjoyed doing that. So this year I bought 43 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: a Lego Christmas Toy workshop off eBay and he and 44 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: my daughter and I will construct that. Last year we 45 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: also got matching pajamas for Christmas, and everyone wore those 46 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: Christmas morning. Now I fully expect us to all be 47 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: in matching pajamas for every Christmas. This is how traditions start. 48 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: Which ry stuff. We like it, we decide we'd like 49 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: to try it again. If you experiment a lot this year, 50 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: you will learn a lot about what people like and 51 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: don't like. Of course, some stuff won't work, so it goes. 52 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: This is the year to experiment because there's a lot 53 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: of open space in the absence of parties and holiday shows. 54 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 1: We probably won't be going to the Nutcracker or Disney 55 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: on Ice or anything like that, so we can try 56 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: stuff out. Maybe you can too, and you just might 57 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: come up with something that makes the cut for all 58 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: years in the future, which will be a great way 59 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: to remember this strange holiday season. In the meantime, this 60 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 61 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear 62 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: from you. You can send me your tips, your questions 63 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 64 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the 65 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 66 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeartMedia 67 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all 68 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 1: the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to staying 69 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. 70 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i 71 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 72 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.