The Definition Of Tradition- And Hickory Farms #Giveaway~ 11/30

Momma Told Me: Some traditions are full of flavor.

Tradition. Without it the holidays just wouldn't be the same.

Whether your family follows a strict ritual of gatherings, food, and entertainment, or enjoys a more relaxed and casual season, there's bound to be at least a few things that continue to return year-after-year. For example, every year since 1986 (and you can check their butt tags) our family has brought our a pair of beanbag reindeer in red flannel pajamas. They're small, handheld, plush characters I truly don't know much about, other than that they were added to our family's heirlooms the year I was born.

It may seem like such a small tradition, these little floppy reindeer, but they have been kept in impeccable condition, and they have made an appearance every year regardless of the situation. The year I spent the holidays with my grandparents back East, the year my mother boldly wore a bald head to Thanksgiving dinner just weeks after chemotherapy, the year I returned home after college, the year no other decoration went up or came out- those tiny reindeer sat on our couch a strong reminder of the love and memories we all have shared. It's such a silly thing, really, they do nothing more than sit there, and yet, it wouldn't be the holidays without them. I one day hope they will appear on my children's couch for their children to admire.

Tradition is a funny thing.

At the holidays, it is so often rooted deep in food. A special fruit salad your Great Aunt might make, the cookie recipe you first watched your grandmother make, the tradition of tho gets to carve the turkey. Why? Because food is such an easy way to connect. We come together at holiday celebrations and share life's triumphs, pain, and strangeness (there is a LOT of strangeness in my family, we like to have fun,) over delicious food made with love.

Growing up half of my family was always clear across the country. We tried to celebrate twice, but rarely was everyone all together at once. One way we shared memories and traditions across the miles was through Hickory Farms holiday gifts. Every year, early November the holiday Summer Sausages and seasonal gift boxes would appear in grocery and department store displays. Momma was always sure to grab a Summer Sausage for my father's stocking, and I would help pick out the perfect bundle of delicious Hickory Farms food to send to my grandparents in Massachusetts. Come Christmas morning I'd munch on some of dad's delicious treats; cheese slices on rich buttery crackers, while we listened to our family across the country open their presents in excitement. Grandpa never failed to feign surprise as he opened his Hickory Farms gifts!

The past few years in our family the holidays have been far from traditional, so it has been especially important to keep the traditions, flavors, and symbols of our family's traditions alive and present no matter the circumstance. My cousin is now married, and has begun a family of her own, and my nieces and nephews have moves several states away. I'll admit, sometimes I get a little sad to know that things are changing. However, I am confident in knowing that change can, while scary, can e great. One day soon I will be forging my own family traditions, and I know we will all reunite again as the big family my late grandmother so loved.

This year, for Thanksgiving, I will actually be traveling to spend the holiday with Momma. It will be the first holiday we're shared in a decade. I am, understandably, excited. It will also be my first holiday outside of Southern California in quite some time, and I am told I might even get to see snow- another first much long past a decade overdue! And, while the passing of time, and the reflection of memories might make me feel old, or even melancholy, when I look back at the years I've enjoyed so far, I am most excited about the years that lie ahead.

So, as I pack my suitcase to leave tomorrow I'm tucking a gift box of Hickory Farms favorites carefully into the bottom. Sure, Momma and I may be enjoying our favorites over wine, instead of milk, but the flavors and traditions remain rich and very much alive thanks to a brand that has been in our family since my own parents were children. Hickory Farms gift selection are available Holiday Market locations nationwide and online at HickoryFarms.com. Now, tell me, what are one of the first signs that the holidays have arrived for your family?

What Daughter Says: It's not the food that makes the memories flavorful, it's the people with which you share them.

Disclaimer: Compensation and products for review were provided by Hickory Farms via MomTrends. I received a free sample of the product for the purpose of this review and to facilitate a giveaway.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Hickory Farms. #HickoryTradition

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