So I first posed the idea of mac salad to my husband a few weeks ago when we were buying groceries.  I told him I needed tuna to put in it...and frozen peas.  And onions.  And miracle whip.  Now...he was less than impressed with the tuna idea..."who puts tuna in mac salad?" he asked.

I DO!!!

And I do because MY mommy did.  I don't know where she got it from cuz she didn't have a mother...but she did have a grandmother...but not sure if it came from that direction or not.  Needless to say...I want to pass down this yummy tradition to my children so they can do the same with theirs.

And all of this leads to the passing down of things...be it recipes, jewelry, traditions...isn't it amazing how families do this?  And how comfortable it feels to have creature items around when you're feeling melancholy and blue?  My mom has given me jewelry that belonged to her grandmother and mother...I want to pass these on someday, too.  I want that opportunity.  I want to tell my children about the items...the recipes...and let them know where it started...who wore them...I hope I get that chance.

So why do we pass down traditions?  How does something silly and simple become a tradition?  When we first do it do we say "this is going to be a tradition?"  Rarely.  It just becomes one.  Because it IS silly...because it IS simple.  Because whatever IT is...it feels good to us.  Thank goodness for traditions...thank goodness for heirlooms. 

And thank goodness for Mac Salad!!!