Can you believe Christmas is less than a week away? With the weather in Atlanta, we’ve felt anything but in the “holiday” spirit! And it’s been felt really across the country, with most of the east coast experiencing a super mild winter, it just takes a bit more to get you in the mood.
“Black families bake. We have holiday traditions,”- Elicia Fletcher
Well, my favorite Christmas music is Alexander Oneal’s “My Gift To You”, and even after hearing it, I still wasn’t quite there. One of my good friends, Licia, a single mom of two gorgeous girls, invited me to a Cookie Party that she hosts annually for her girls and their friends.
I’m not a big “kid event” person, BUT, her girls are so well behaved and I wanted to experience the fabled Cookie Party. When I arrived, the house smelled of warm sugar cookies and vanilla. Instantly putting me in the holiday spirit! I entered the kitchen and there were nine young girls and her nephew ranging 3-11 years in age all busy working on batter and chit chat.
The “Cookie Party” has been a tradition for Elicia and her family for 18 years. Her mom, auntie, and sister all participated in the gathering to further promote positive family traditions. “Black families bake. We have holiday traditions,” Elicia stated about why she wants to keep it going.
The conversations were amazing! It was great for me to hear young girls discuss the various school house gossip and in the same breath, celebrate the fact that they’re a straight A student with sass and snap back. One of the little girls mispronounced a word, but quickly quipped back, “Don’t laugh at me because of the way I talk, because I make straight A’s in school and some of y’all don’t.” The laughter quickly stopped. I couldn’t help but give her an “I Hear That Girl!” because lil mama was right! That made my soul beam. I thought to myself in that instant, ‘I hope she holds on to that understanding. I hope she remembers that her mind is her asset over any other trends or societal pressures’. Elicia’s aunt, a fashion designer, nodded at the young girls retort as well in agreement. The girls went back to playing with one another, laughing, frosting cookies, and singing Christmas carols. It was really a refreshing thing to see. These are the images that mainstream media will not show our girls. I’m glad my friend was able to show it to these nine girls.
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As a single mother, images like this are super important. It warmed my heart to see my friend put a smile on the faces of all the young girls there. Knowing the emotional stress of raising kids on your own, Elicia still finds the time to create memories for her girls and girls that they’re connected to that will remind them of a joyous holiday season. This is the strength of mothers. This is why I respect mothers. Single, co-parenting, married, it doesn’t matter. Mothers go the extra mile. They take that next step to turn a regular Saturday afternoon that feels anything less than “joyful”, into a moment to remember and pass on to their little girls for generations to come. What are some of your Holiday Family Traditions? Post in the comments below, so we can all share or begin a tradition!
