Holiday Traditions

"What does tradition mean to you? Is tradition something so sacred in your family that it will be hell or high water before change will be allowed to take place. Is tradition something you look to make changes in or create special new ones with different families?
I hear about traditions every year from people, especially this time of year near the holiday seasons. Places for Thanksgiving or Christmas celebrations changing, or who is going to cook the turkey will send people into a mere frenzy of fluster. Why is it ok to change some traditions but then have a knock down drag out yelling match over others? What is behind the need of sticking with traditions at all costs, regardless of reprocussions down the road that could take affect because the turkey got cooked in a different location.
 I have had many circumstances in my life from the time I was a child until now that have caused me to have to reinvent traditions, weigh them out, and realize that long ago that all traditions are subject to change always. Why is that? Because life is always changing. Look at families alone....most are no longer considered "traditional families". Unfortunately most fall into the dysfunctional/ non-traditional catagory whether it was a circumstance created by your own doing or completely something you had no control, or say so over. Mine is no different....its life.
Do you embrace it, or put up a wall? I guess that this falls into a catagory of choosing your battles carefully. Is the battle over "whose coming to dinner" worth the blood loss it may cause? This whole season, a time of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years celebrations, I have heard of and come across five different circumstances of traditions causing some sort of family strife in one way or another. I have lost in my life enough significant people that it all causes me to remember that life is short and wonder what all the tradition fuss is about. Does changing the location of where the turkey is carved somehow change the meaning of Thanksgiving? Does adding one more person (who may or may not be family) to the Christmas dinner change the true meaning of Christ's birth?
     What is family? I think my favorite definition from Websters is: "Any various social units different from but regarded as equivalent to the traditional family." I like this one because it describes what I have always knows as family my whole life...a bit of a mismatched jigsaw puzzle of people. Is this the perfect scenario of "family"...probably not, but since life changes on a regular basis...you learn to roll with the punches or get knocked out. Blood is thicker than water is true, but it is love...especailly Gods love that is thicker than all of it. Maybe you too this year will be faced with dealing with tradition as most families do, either having to adjust it, change it, start a brand new one, or carry out already existing ones precious to your family. In doing so please remember to consider this: the outcome, the big picture and what may be gained or lost by upholding or deciding to change a tradition and ask if it is worth it in either direction. Have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas and may all your traditions be full of love and blessings."