Family traditions, handed down from year to year, weave a delicate strand of memories and feelings that connect our hearts over generations, making those we loved and lost seem closer and ensuring that they will not be forgotten. They connect past and present and we take comfort in their familiarity knowing that this life is a sweet, but short journey and we should savor it all. And at no time are family traditions more treasured than during the holidays.
We wanted to share a little of that holiday magic with you, so we took a peek inside a local family’s holiday traditions. Hopefully, some of their traditions will warm your heart and even inspire you to start a few of your own.
Britt Swanson Trier and her husband Ben are multi-generational Topekans. “My husband, our parents, and our grandparents on both sides have always lived in Topeka,” she said. The Triers have four children - Ally -16, Ben - 14, and twin girls, Reese and Harper - 8. The holiday festivities always start the day after Thanksgiving when they decorate the tree and the house. “We may start earlier this year,” Britt laughs. “They’re already begging me.”
One of their favorite traditions is baking Grandma Swanson’s Swedish sugar cookies. “I grew up making them with my family and I’m so happy I can share the fun with my kids too.” As you can tell from the photo, the kids really got into it this year. “They just went for it,” Britt said. “Nothing is ever quiet around here. I’m not a strict mom. It’s always chaotic, but fun.”
Not all of the holiday traditions are for the kids, however. Grandma Swanson also passed down her recipe for Swedish Glogg. “It’s a super potent spiced wine,” Britt shared. “We make it every year.” Ingredients include sugar, port wine and grain alcohol, plus fruits and spices. Britt has the recipe cards for both the sugar cookies and the glogg written in her grandmother’s handwriting. “She’s been gone for 30+ years,” she reminisced. “But it’s like she’s still here in spirit.”
Some holiday traditions include the whole family. Every year her parents, her family and her sister’s family cut a tree down on the family farm (also home to the family business Native Stone Company), take it back to her parents home and decorate it with homemade ornaments. “We’ve done it since we were kids. They’re the tackiest ornaments imaginable. The kids love to look back at gangly pics of us from the 80s in macaroni frames and laugh,” Britt said. “My mom is the best. She just loves that stuff. It means so much to the kids to hang their ornaments on the tree.”
Holiday lights around Topeka are another part of the Trier family traditions. Every year they visit the Potwin area and take a horse-drawn carriage ride to see the Potwin light display. Then they also pick one night to don their PJs, grab a cup of hot cocoa and some sweets and watch the Topeka Bible Church drive-in Christmas light show. Last year, they added one more to the list (you can’t have too many lights, right?). “We went to Zoo Lights at the Topeka Zoo,” Britt said. “It was our favorite thing last year and it was so nice coming off of Coronavirus. I guess it’s our brand new tradition!”
“Oh, I almost forgot my favorite tradition,” Britt said excitedly. “Party with a Purpose!” The first weekend in December a huge group of families and friends gets together and adopts Topeka families in need. The Triers have participated for nine years, but the event has been happening for much longer. It has grown over the years and is now so big that it is held in the North Topeka Optimist Club. “Hundreds of families are adopted,” Britt said. “We wrap the gifts and deliver them to the families. It’s so awesome. It reminds us that the spirit of the season is not all about getting, but giving.”
