Max's+Mosaic

Traditions
Traditions are things passed down from generation to generation. Some traditions are religion-based, while others may just be small family traditions. There are many big traditions celebrated world wide, but some have happened by accident, like what has occurred in my family and in Dahl's.

My family has a few traditions. They are mostly meaningful things passed down. One thing that has been passed down is the name Max. Although I share the same name with both my great grandfathers, I was not named after either. This is also true for my cousin; he shares the name but is not named after my great grandfather on that side of the family. I believe this has occurred because after my mom read //Where the Wild Things Are// for the first time, she knew she wanted a son named Max. I believe this inspired her cousin-in-law to then name her son Max.

In //Boy//, Roald Dahl described a lot of traditions from his life. Dahl speaks of his Sunday letter writing throughout the book. He started writing letter at St Peter's, where he was forced to write home. He fabricated letters describing his wonderful time at school. He continued, however, to write to his mother throughout the entire book with little snip-its of some of the letters that were sent during the times he is describing.

The Sabbath, also known as Shabbat, is a Jewish tradition that takes place at the end of each week. Shabbat is observed between Friday evening and Saturday evening, starting and finishing when the sun goes down. Shabbat is a day of celebration and prayer, and it is usual that you will find three festive meals at many of the celebrations. Many conservative and orthodox Jews are barred from using electricity and automobiles on the Sabbath although in certain cases one may step outside the guidelines of Shabbat. If a human life is in danger, a person celebrating the Sabbath is required to help them as long as they do not harm another while doing so. Some of the encouraged activities are spending time with other Jews, taking Shabbat naps, attending prayer at a synagouge or privately among friends and family, and hosting meals among friends and family.

All in all traditions are celebrated world wide. Whether they be funny family traditions or deep meaningful religious holidays, all serve a deep purpose in people's lives.

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