Tradition

 I have to make a public speech next Thursday. Well, two actually.

One of them is about the Pupil of the Year. This will be fine. I did it last year and managed to make the audience cry with my touching words. Now I feel a bit like Monica in that episode of Friends. I've done it once, I must make them weep again.
The second speech is for my boss who retires this year. This is the real test. I have written it and will run it by some trusted people before I go public with it. However, reading and writing it have left me feeling awfully sad about some of the traditions we have had over the years. I hope very much they will continue.

It has been a tradition to do a Secret Santa at Christmas with a raffle to win the weird and wonderful things my boss has found on her shopping trips. One Valentine's Day she got the staff socks with hearts on.
Then there is the Maypole Dancing and Morris Dancing, made up songs, eccentric sports.... the list could go on forever but I won't retype my speech!
As a staff we are all hoping our twee and silly traditions won't become a thing of the past. They give our school its unique character.

So then I started thinking about other traditions. In our family we have many. Some I love, some not so much.
I love our annual trip to the sea for the dog's birthday, followed by shepherds pie made just for them. I love the Halloween trip, the crazed look in my mum's face as she collects together the wood/paper/anything that might vaguely burn for our bonfire party.
I don't love the stuffing jokes made at my expense at the Christmas dinner table;
"Camellia likes a good stuffing"
"I hope you've had planty of stuffing Camellia"
My brother in law TEXTED a joke last Christmas. I could do without this particular tradition.
Other silly ones include seasonal names for our family cat. We call him 'Cakes'. I can't even remember why - but he's a very plump and cuddly cat. At Christmas he is Christmas Cakes, then throughout the year; Birthday Cakes, Easter Cakes....you get the idea.

There is some indication that things will be very different at work in September under the new regime. We will be hoping very much that our traditions are upheld. There will be trouble if they are not!