Carrying on a Canadian family tradition this year, not only did we make an ice rink in our back yard, we made memories.
It all began last year. Alex told me stories about how his father would make an ice rink on the lake behind his house every year. It was common for Canadians to build their own ice rink in their back yards! Once you think about it, it makes sense. Back in the day, people skated on local ponds nearby, not downtown in the middle of the city. It was tradition to build one each year and wondered how it would work here in Salt Lake City.
The weather turned really cold in November this year and Alex decided to give it a try. Not knowing if it would work or how long it would last, he watered the lawn each night. Little by little, it began to freeze. The goal was to celebrate New Years by skating on our own ice rink. It was so much fun to watch the girls get excited each day as the rink really began to look like an ice rink! We had brought the family tradition to Utah and created connection a for the girls with Grand-Papá Michel.
Families are held together through their history and their stories. Oral traditions passed down from one generation to the next creates richness and solidity. Children’s imaginations are sparked when they try to picture their father skating out on the pond. They have only swam in it-What would it be like to skate on it too?
Now they have their own memories to blend into the mix. The ice rink was ready for Night Skating on New Year’s Day. The girls were beyond excited and wanted to skate all night long under the Christmas lights we strung all around the rink. They finally understood Papa’s story about wanting to skate all night long as a child, even when Grand-Maman Claire would call him. Alex was excited because he was able to give the girls something from his childhood, memories, and lots of winter fun!
We try to incorporate family traditions from all aspects of our newly blended family: English, Turkish, American, and Canadian. It takes time and effort, but it is worth it in the end.