A Tradition – Evolved

That's what the nieces and nephews called it - a tradition evolved.

My grandmother died in October. As Christmas approached, my sister-in-law and I chatted about a New Year's tradition that has been taking place since before I was born – New Year's oliebollens.

Oliebollen are Dutch deep-fried doughnuts that we dip in icing sugar.

As a child, every New Year's Eve, we would go to my grandparents' house and bring in the new year by eating oliebollen, skating on the pond and hanging out with my aunts, uncles and cousins.

When my grandfather died more than 10 years ago, the tradition changed and we celebrated New Year's day at my grandmother's house, eating oliebollen and clementines and chatting with my aunts, uncles and cousins.

Yesterday, the tradition changed again.

The nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews hosted a New Year's Day celebration at my brother and sister-in-law's house with oliebollen, clementines, munchies and soup.

There was sledding, snowball fights and snowman making in the rain.

There was talk about – mainly by me - how my grandmother should be have inducted into some sort of hall of fame because another tradition evolved this week. The tradition of making oliebollen on New Year's Eve day.

That fell to me and, while delicious, oliebollen is a lot of work and takes a lot of time.

But I can see why Grandma continued doing it after her children grew up. It's one Dutch tradition we actually do and I am happy we are continuing the tradition – evolved.