Traditions can bring meaning to celebrations and build special bonds with others. They nurture connections and help create positive experiences and lasting memories. Traditions deepen our connectedness.
Studies have shown that connectedness is vital to our mental and physical health, and social isolation is a risk factor for death from multiple causes.
Traditions help us feel connected, and social connections increase our level of happiness, help build stronger relationships, and decrease anxiety and depression. So…
…Let’s ALL add traditions!
For episode 58 of Siren Soapbox, the sirens decided to research and add some traditions from our ancestry. But first, we had to identify our ancestry (which we’ll dive into deeper in episode 61: DNA, so stay tuned).
Each of the sirens took a DNA test to discover what might be hidden in the nooks and crannies of our ancestry. The tests that the sirens used are the MyHeritage DNA Test Kit, AncestryDNA Genetic Testing Kit, and 23andMe Personal Genetic DNA Test.
We discovered that results may look slightly different with different test kits – it has to do with the data they have on record and it gets more accurate with more people in the pool.
Siren LC discovered the theory that your toes can tell you about your ancestry, too. The idea is that your foot shape can tell you one of the ancient groups to which your ancestors belonged. Check it out:
One of the best results of the DNA kit is that it spurs conversation with family members. It also reminded each of us of the importance of family and passing down family stories and traditions.
Once we were armed with the details of our ancestry, we each added some holiday celebrations that are traditional for our heritage–with our own personal flair. Some delicious (and not-so-delicious…aka barely edible) drinks & treats were created, candles were lit, songs were sung, logs were burnt, and decorations were hung.
Siren Mur: “A real tradition in Eastern Europe is to hang a spiderweb ornament on the tree. Legend has it that a hardworking widow could not afford to decorate her tree, so the spiders decorated her tree with their webs. I made spider web ornaments for all of my family.” 
Siren Mur: “I also learned that making gingerbread cookies is a German tradition.” 
Siren Mur: “Mark and all the kids and I baked gingerbread cookies for the very first time in our lives.” 
Siren Mur: “Mark and all the kids and I baked gingerbread cookies for the very first time in our lives.” 
Siren Mur: “All the kids, even the teenagers, had so much fun with this activity.” 
Siren Audra: “I chose to celebrate Yule. I did the traditional Yule log. I made some candles in traditional colors…gathered some additional greenery, and I made a little altar.” 
Siren Sara: “Yes, we put out yummy whiskey on the rocks for Santa by the fire place under our stockings. We are pretty sure he loved it!” 
Siren Sara: “The last two Christmases we planned very Christmas-themed weddings and that’s how we’re gonna make Christmas more meaningful for us.” 
Siren Sara: “We will travel as a couple somewhere and celebrate joyfully every Christmas season.” 
Siren Shannon: “I made a German, mulled wine…Glühwein. It involves taking a bottle of wine and adding all these wonderful spices and simmering it for a couple of hours.” 
Siren Shannon: “Glühwein…It was so sweet and so potent. If you drink enough of it you’re going to be glowing! It makes the house smell good.” 
Siren Shannon: “I was looking for easier recipes…I found a great cookie.” 
Siren Shannon: “Did I mention I’m not really a baker? They turned out to be thin, butter sugar crackers. They were dry. My friend said, ‘Shannon, you really shouldn’t make cookies.'” 
Siren Shannon: “You’ve always heard the songs about figgy pudding…well…” 
Shannon: “I cannot tell you how it tasted because it looked so gross, I never even tried it. Even my chickens would not eat it and they will eat anything, including leftover chicken!” 
Siren Shannon: The best part of the figgy pudding. 
Siren LC: “In Italy, there are a lot of celebrations around the nativity, or as they call it, the Presepe.” 
Siren LC: “We went and visited as many nativity scenes as we could.” 
Siren LC: “I want to try and go to a different art museum every year to see different religious artworks.” 
Siren LC: “I want to try and go to a different art museum every year to see different religious artworks.” 
Siren LC: “We also did a yule log. We decorated a real log and we tied notes to it with limiting beliefs that we wanted to let go of before the new year.” 
Siren LC: “Then we collected all the ashes for next year’s fire. It’s said to bring good luck and protect the home from fire (and lightening, which the Connollys need)” 
Siren TC: “This year we added the Adventskranz.” 
Siren TC: “We found a wreath shaped like a star with lights already in it. We got four red candles and lit those.” 
Siren TC: “We had some Christmas treats, and we chatted. It was a ton of fun.” 
Siren TC: “We had some Christmas treats, and we chatted. It was a ton of fun.” 
Siren TC: “And then we sang some Christmas songs. In the future this will probably include some kitchen dancing.”
Elf on the shelf is a newer tradition…and we wanted to include some variations on this tradition.
LC and JL Aerial Views run an Elf on the Shelf Movie Edition competition each year. Follow them on Facebook and try your movie I.D. skills, you might win tickets to a movie! Can you guess these?
And…another interesting interpretation of the Elf on the Shelf tradition: Mike on the Shelf (this is Siren Shannon’s husband):
We want to hear some of your traditions! Do they originate from your ancestry, or are they special just to you and your loved one(s)? Reach out and share with us – let’s connect!