Ritual Time
December 10, 2007
Did You Know....A review of 50 years of research about families concluded that rituals, "convey 'this is who we are' as a group and provide continuity in meaning across generations." Social scientists view rituals as routines with symbolic meaning; not to be confused with religious rituals.
At my house, it's always a story from the same much-loved holiday book. We've read the same tales over so many years that the characters have become part of our celebration.
For you, it might be a song, a skit, a favorite dish, a special prayer. Although every year is slightly different, every year is also the same. Rituals have a way of telescoping time. We are children, we are grandparents, we are teenagers again.
This season is about the big rituals – traveling across town or halfway around the world to be with family and friends. But it's about the small rituals too -- the jokes we tell, the special foods, the quirky add-ons.
So light the lights, play the games, sing the songs, eat the ritual meals together. Enjoy your loved ones. Pass it on.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
