TresSugar

Do Tell: Do You Have a Valentine's Day Tradition?

DearSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, so I'm sure most of you are getting your plans in order as we speak. Getting a reservation or coming up with a unique way to celebrate with your loved one can be stressful, which is why so many couples come up with a Valentine's tradition to rely on. My parents have been doing the same thing for years now - it gives them something to look forward to - but what about you? Do you and your significant other have a Valentine's Day tradition? If so, tell us about it!

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In Love and Marriage, Do Traditional Titles Matter?

DearSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

The overturning of the ban on same-sex marriage in California has changed many lives and simultaneously sparked a slew of arguments. In fact, as reported by the Sacramento Bee, a recently wed couple - Rachel Bird and Gideon Codding - are starting their own debate over the wording of the new gender-neutral marriage license, which has changed the traditional reference of Bride and Groom to Party A and Party B.

Bird offered her own explanation, saying: "We are traditionalists - we just want to be called bride and groom," and for this couple, anything else is unacceptable; they refuse to sign the license as-is. The article also mentions that this particular fight is a personal one, rather than religious. But whatever the motivation for standing their ground, I find the attachment to these two words interesting. They do represent tradition and their cultural significance is vast, but are they truly necessary? When it comes down to it, do these types of traditional titles matter to you and your relationship?

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5 Wedding Traditions and What They Mean

DearSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Something borrowed, something blue, and something . . . . totally bizarre. Don't you sometimes wonder where our weirder wedding traditions come from? From throwing rice to wearing blue, lots of things happen at weddings that I've never totally understood. Mental Floss has a fun list of eight weird origins of wedding traditions. Here are five of my favorite back stories from MF's list of bizarre traditions.

Brides wearing white. Apparently, it wasn't until Queen Victoria donned a white gown that this virginal shade became the wedding-dress color of choice. Before that, a bride was merely expected to dress in her finest finery.
Dads giving the bride away. The tradition of fathers walking daughters down the aisle actually goes back to the days when dads used female offspring as bartering tools to pay off debts or make peace.

Three more fun facts, so read more.

Tossing the bouquet. This one is hilarious: In the past, newlyweds would just sneak off to a separate room after the ceremony to consummate their union, and the wedding guests would crowd outside the door. The bride tossing her bouquet started as a way to divert guests' attention.
Saving the top of the wedding cake. Some couples save the top of their wedding cake to eat on their one-year anniversary. But the original reason people saved part of the sweet treat was so that it could be served at the first baby's christening.
Throwing rice as the couple leaves. Initially, this tradition wasn't limited to rice; guests could also opt for oats and corn. Either way, the sentiment is the same: showering the newly married couple with good fortune and fertility.

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What's the Deal With Mistletoe?

DearSugar — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 09:39:20 -0800

As the custom goes, any two people who meet under the mistletoe are obliged to kiss. When I was little, I always thought it was a kind of creepy tradition (because I thought kissing was so gross), but now that I'm older, I think the idea is actually kind of sweet.

Not everyone agrees with me though, so I was wondering: How do you feel about this tradition? Do you hang out by the mistletoe or do you avoid it completely?

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Do Tell: What's Your Thanksgiving Tradition?

DearSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:00:00 -0800

I love the smell of Thanksgiving, and in my opinion, it's the holiday that brings family and friends the closest. Every year, my parents host, our immediate family and close friends come for dinner (we don't eat until 6), and we always keep a few extra chairs handy in case someone drops by. We have the same menu year after year, and while the kitchen is bustling, football is on the background, a fire is burning in the living room, and the phone rings off the hook with Thanksgiving cheers. I love Thanksgiving because I get to see all my friends who have moved away, and it gets me all that more excited for the Christmas season.

Thanks for letting me share my memories with you. Now it's your turn. Ladies, do tell: What's your Thanksgiving Day tradition?

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Dear Poll: Do you Want him to Ask for your Hand?

DearSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:00:00 -0700

When it comes to weddings and engagements, I am extremely old fashioned. One of my closest girlfriends got engaged over the weekend after hearing the engagement story, we found out that the ring had been burning a hole through his pocket because he was having a hard time tracking down her dad so they could have "the talk." The sly guy that he is was finally able to ask his permission to marry his daughter, but his persistence got me thinking about the importance of engagement tradition. While it will be immensely important to me that my boyfriend asks my father for my hand before asking me, how do you feel? Would you be upset and disappointed if your boyfriend didn't?

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Do Tell: What Are Your Favorite Thanksgiving Traditions?

TresSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:13 -0800

Thanksgiving is almost here, and it might just be my favorite holiday. Every year my family gets together for a big party at my aunt's house. I always look forward to the classic food like turkey and mashed potatoes, but I also love the dishes specific to my family, like my mom's spicy jalapeno cranberry sauce or the creamed onions made according to my grandma's recipe. After dinner, we all head to the living room hoping to beat our food comas with a spirited game of charades.

These are the traditions that I will be looking forward to all week. What Thanksgiving traditions do you enjoy?

Relationship Protocol: What Holiday Tradition Have You Created?

DearSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

I think one of the best parts about being in a relationship is creating new traditions together, unique to the life you live as a couple. Of course, incorporating each other's family traditions is always fun, but so is instating an after-Thanksgiving hike with your hubby every year or a putting up Christmas lights while eating your leftovers. If this is something you've done in your relationship, tell us, what holiday traditions have you created with your significant other?

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Dear Poll: Are You Traditional or Contemporary

DearSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I've been telling you for a while now how traditional I am in almost every aspect of my life, especially when it comes to dating. It's not that I'm conservative, I just like classic, timeless traditions. While I'm all for experimentation and thinking outside the box, I'll always be that girl who likes a man to open the door for me and thinks the man should pay on the first date. I know not all of you think the same way so tell me, do you consider yourself traditional or more contemporary?

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Do Tell: What's your Favorite Tradition?

DearSugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:30:00 -0700

Family traditions are a wonderful and unique way to tell stories of generations past. For those of you who are married or engaged, thank you for sharing your wedding day traditions, but as we all know, family traditions come in all forms. Whether it's your great grandmother's secret recipe or how you spend the holidays, do tell, what is your favorite family tradition?

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