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Rethinking Tradition: A Letter from the Editor

 grammylargeI’ve always been a bookworm. As a child, it was my private tradition to hide under the covers and read by the glow of the nightlight. I’d fly through the pages—until the last 20 or so. Then I would dawdle, trying to spend as much time with each character as possible. As an adult, I find that the end of the year is a bit like this. Once November hits, I often find myself dragging my feet, unwilling to acknowledge that time is marching on, that another holiday season is upon us. But why? The impending New Year signifies a new beginning. It may be a sigh of relief, but it can be nerve-wracking to do it all over again. I doubt I’m alone in feeling the push and pull between nostalgia and excitement most during the holiday season.
Thanksgiving was traditionally celebrated in the U.S. and Canada as a way to give thanks for the year’s harvest. It has, of course, morphed into a dialogue as much about consumerism as gratitude; as much about historical truths as family and togetherness. As this dialogue changes, it’s worthwhile to encourage the evolution of our own personal celebrations. While tradition is important—and, for many, an essential element of the personal path to True North—attempting to hold on to traditions once their moment has passed can get us stuck in the mire of nostalgia, and keep us from feeling excited. If you celebrate Thanksgiving, chances are your festivities are rich with tradition. That’s great: But it’s worth seeking alternative ways to celebrate as well. New experiences only enrich us, nourishing us as they too become memory and ritual.
So this year, try making room for the excitement of new beginnings. Allow nostalgia and past memories to be a part of your celebrations, but don’t shy away from seeking fresh, new experiences as well and making new memories. This holiday season we at Wanderlust Media want you to savor all sorts of new ways to celebrate. Explore our holiday recipes, and check out these articles to help you get started making new traditions. As you enter the home stretch of 2015, remember to feel gratitude that you’ve been given another holiday season to enjoy. No matter where in the book of life you are, that’s a tradition worth keeping.

In love & light,
Lisette Cheresson

Managing Editor
Wanderlust Media

My Selfless Thanksgiving

by Deborah Charnes on YOGANONYMOUS

On this Thanksgiving day, I wanted my daughter to witness the scope of the have-nots in our hometown. While we fed others before we fed ourselves, I recognized it was not total selflessness on my part.

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by Niki Saccareccia on Wanderlust

It was the first time that my parents and I would not break bread together. A country between us, I was without my blood-born tribe and the comforts of our particular set of traditions.

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by Cameron Cler on YOGANONYMOUS

Some years have welcomed my adopted Japanese uncle, others included an Italian roommate, a new significant other, or my gay uncles road tripping from Palm Springs. Some years we had them all at once.

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by Rica Lewis on Wanderlust

On my first vegetarian Thanksgiving, letting my family know I would not be bingeing on the bird was no big deal. I’m sure each of them thought: “More for me!”

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by Niki Saccareccia on YOGANONYMOUS

Eating too much may be a sign of the season, but feeling bloated doesn’t have to be. Yoga gives us a thorough method for balancing and integrating our innate power, allowing our bodies to function at maximum capacity.

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by Kristin Diversi on YOGANONYMOUS

Last year, my best friend and I got married the day after Thanksgiving. We hadn’t been together for very long, but we had found the person that we wanted to spend our lives with, good and bad, thick and thin.

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by Amanda Kohr on Wanderlust

According to the USDA, Americans have thrown away more than 200 million pounds of edible turkey meat on Thanksgiving.

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by Constance Korol on YOGANONYMOUS

The practice of yoga and especially the following particular bird poses are so important during the holiday season. See how these four poses can help with digestion, keep us limber and give us great empowerment.

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