While life is constantly changing and we’re changing with it, we can always count on our own little traditions to help us cope with the inevitable ups and downs. The Christmas tree has been a constant in my life; it is a symbol of love, family and tradition. Every year, my family and I spend a night after Thanksgiving rummaging through all the festive tree trimmings stuffed in storage boxes as Bing Crosby croons a classic holiday song in the background.

It’s always a special occasion when we’re able to get together with many of our loved ones under one roof. Traditions like decorating a Christmas tree provide us a sense of comfort and belonging, reinforce positive values like faith and allow us the opportunity to celebrate the things in life that really matter.

After all, we are creatures of habit and find comfort in what we know through our own unique traditions.

Change is a scary thing, no doubt, that’s why we often tend to cling to our traditions. There’s no harm in family traditions such as, decorating the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving, eating with family at the dining room table every night or playing catch out on the front yard on Sundays. However, change is constant and there will be moments in life where we have no choice but to take a leap of faith in order to grow as a person and learn new things.

My family, friends and I have gone through a lot of changes in the past year. I’ve moved to a new state to start my career while my friends are also starting theirs and some are already planning their weddings.

Life was so different for all of us last year. For one, I was enjoying my last semester of college and sending out resumes to publications across the country.

Even though life is constantly changing, it’s comforting to know my family and I will still have the Christmas tree to gather around for many years.