My mom was the initiator of family traditions. It is one of the many gifts she left us. There is nothing that holds a family together more than saying, “we always do…” It creates a bond. It builds shared memories. It gives us our roots. It is a gift we can give that benefits generations to come.
There is one annual tradition that signals the end of summer for me. It is our extended family campout over Labor Day weekend. I come from a large Catholic family of six kids. Five of us siblings, along with many of our own kids, and our kid’s kids, live in the area. This makes for big, fun family gatherings. (Think… My Big Fat Greek Wedding, only not Greek.) We have gotten so big that we hardly fit in anyone’s home anymore. So, the annual family camping trip is a perfect way to get together and still have some breathing room. It originated years ago when my siblings and I were young parents. Then life got in the way. But now our own kids are adults with young children of their own, and a few years ago and my son, niece and nephew decided to resurrect the extended family camping trip. Now they reserve the group campsite and put the word out to the rest of the family. It is so nice to have the next generation taking on this tradition, and… all we have to do is show up! Getting older has its privileges.
The campground is close enough to those that live in the area that some can attend just for the family dinner and cornhole tournament on Saturday. My dad even came for a few hours this year. Those that can, stay for the weekend. We’ve had family come from as far as Wisconsin, Texas, Montana and even Japan to be here for the annual family campout. It helps that it is always over Labor Day Weekend so people can plan to attend, if life permits.
A few days ago, my grandson told me how excited he was for the family campout and then school starting. They have a great time roaming with their cousins. It has become a fun tradition for all the kids to come over to our camper in the morning for hot cocoa. (Hum…I wonder if it is just so the parents can get a few more minutes of shut eye?) We love visiting with them (and getting them hyped up with sugar in the morning – “sweet” revenge).
What is a family event without good food? Even the food has some traditions, such as my sister-in-law’s macaroni and shrimp salad and my 7-layer dip. And no campout is complete without the obligatory s’mores.
The event of the weekend, well besides eating, is the Cornhole Tournament. Participants draw names for a partner and game on!
One of the great things about the campout is that all the generations can hang out and play games together. Well, except the “boomers” who keep the camp chairs warm. And you can bet we get a lot of ribbing for that. Or maybe it is just for being “boomers.”
The Knothead Award
It started back in 1982, when my parents, siblings and their spouses took a trip over to the Oregon Coast together. I don’t know if you have ever been to the Oregon Coast in the fall, but it can be a little rainy and chilly. You pack, knowing this is a high possibility. The guys chartered a fishing trip out on the ocean while we were there. One of my older brothers, who shall not be named, failed to pack anything warm. He went fishing in the wind-swept rain wearing sandals and no coat. Needless to say, he took a lot of teasing for that. Mr. U and my younger brother decided he needed an “award” for being such a knothead. So, they nailed a few pieces of wood together, one of which had a big ole knot it in it, and my brother became the very first recipient of the un-coveted Knothead Award.
We had so many fun stories and laughs over the Knothead Award that we have carried the tradition on. Every year, at the family campout, we award points throughout the weekend to anyone who does something stupid. We look for any good excuse to award someone points, such as forgetting an important item (like warm clothes, food or camp equipment) getting lost or walking into the wrong tent. The final morning of the campout, we gather at the common area and make nominations for the award. There are tons of stories and laughs as we find out all of the crazy things people did over the weekend. And believe me, with that big of a family, there are quite a few. Then we vote on the recipient for the award. The “lucky” recipient must proudly display the award in their home for the entire year.
This year’s winner is awarded (right).
When we return from the camping trip the kids all head back to school. Our busy tourist town will quiet down, and we will be able to get into restaurants without making a reservation two months in advance. The days will grow shorter and cooler. We will fire up the oven again and make soups and homemade rolls. I will read more and turn to indoor hobbies again. We switch from light and carefree to sheltered and cozy. The traditional campout is the perfect way to transition to fall.
Farewell summer and hello fall!
