Americans have many customs and traditions rooted in the cultures of our forefathers who were either Native Americans or who settled this great land after journeying long distances from other nations in search of "The American Dream". Family values are reflected in the customs and traditions practiced.
             Family tradition is an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior, the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction. One tradition in my family is that on Sunday's my whole family would gather at Grandma's house for dinner, usually spaghetti and meatballs. Another tradition my family has is that on Christmas day we would all get together for Christmas lunch. When thinking about it I guess you would consider what we ate for lunch a tradition also. We would have the traditional Christmas foods turkey, sweet potatoes, mirliton stuffing, and rice with brown gravy.
             Families nurture future generations in their image by the sharing of family values and traditions. Family structure may vary but one thing remains constant in family life today: "family is forever". American History has shown that American families pass on their proud history and traditions along with their own personal ethics to form the basis for our sense of what is right and wrong for the rest of our lives.
             Family values are passed to our children through a variety of family activities. Family life today is also influenced by the principles and values of our surrounding society. In the end, every parent strives to install their fundamental beliefs within their children through every possible means at their disposal. Traditions are one of these means.
             The practice of shared Family Traditions, as an integral part of family life today, will ensure the preservation and progress of our Amer...