Traditions
The little rituals that turn a regular Tuesday into a memory, and the big ones we plan all year.
Where everything slows down.
This is where everything slows down. The river rock fireplace and the wood stove do the heavy lifting on winter evenings, which are my favorite kind, and the giant chess set lives right here too. At Christmas, the brick nook gets a couple of paper stars and our old snowshoes. The fire does most of the work. We just take the credit.
Make them your own.
Wax seal night
We picked up a wax seal kit during our quest to lean into boredom, back when we were hunting for little ways to make ordinary days feel more magical. It turned into one of our favorite family activities: candles lit, wax melting, everyone pressing their seal just so. Besides, I love bringing back the old-fashioned things. Who doesn’t want to get a letter with a wax seal on it?
The Christmas charcuterie board
Here’s my favorite Christmas secret: all season long, the sweetest little treats show up on our doorstep. There are tins of cookies, plates of fudge, homemade goodies wrapped in cellophane, and those giant popcorn tins nobody can resist. Some goodies need to be enjoyed right away, of course. But whatever can be tucked away, I save. Then on Christmas Eve, I pile everything onto one big, beautiful board, with a little popcorn sprinkled into the gaps. Every neighbor’s kindness ends up on one table, and somehow it all tastes better that way.
Giant chess by the fire
Years ago, I spotted this giant chess set at Gardner Village and couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was definitely a splurge, and it’s still one of the best splurges I’ve ever made. It’s lived on our coffee table ever since, and it’s almost always in the middle of a game, especially when friends come over. Every one of our kids took to it, and we now have quite a few chess champions in the family. Who’s in the lead right now is anybody’s guess. Chess just has a way of pulling people in, slowing everyone down and getting the good conversation going.
Gone fishing
Once we moved to the country, our kids really took to fishing. It’s turned into such a good, peaceful pastime for them. My big teenage boys will head out before the sun comes up or stay out fishing long after dark. It’s become a bit of an obsession, but they’ve also learned to cook a really good fish, so I’m not complaining.
Boots that get handed down
Our boots come from Ross Brown of Brown’s Boots. We’ve bought from him since our kids were little. Ross passed away this past year, and I got to see him on his very last day of work. Every pair on this shelf feels a little more precious now. They’re worn, scuffed and loved, which is exactly how boots should look.
Game night
Our game shelf is well loved. The favorites around here are a beautiful mancala set, chess, marble solitaire, Secret Hitler, Skyjo, Azul, Splendor and Lucky Duck, and when we take it outside, Spikeball and disc golf. Some of us play to win, some of us play for the snacks, and everyone plays for the trash talk.
Pull up a chair.
Every so often I’ll write you a letter. A recipe, a tradition we’re trying, whatever magic (or glorious mess) happened at our table that week. No lectures, nothing salesy, just a friend waving from the porch.
You’re in! Your seat on the porch is saved. Watch your inbox for a letter from Moxhaven.