Growing up we always had an artificial Christmas tree so when my brother got married he and his wife decided they wanted a real one. So they drove to a tree farm in the mountains and after walking though several acres of trees, found the perfect one and cut it down. Their barely adult selves posed proudly for a picture with their first ever REAL Christmas Tree. They now have 23 pictures with 23 real Christmas Trees. The lens widened as their family grew from an adorable 10 month old in 2001, to two now adult daughters and two teenage sons. It is their day after Thanksgiving tradition. It wouldn’t be the day after Thanksgiving if they weren’t in the mountains choosing a tree as a family. It is one of the many things that has made them “The Londons”.
We all love those things that make our family “us”. A recipe, an annual vacation destination, a favorite movie, a special meal, an inside joke, a funny tag-line. We have these things with our families of origin and when we become adults we each feel an innate desire to begin weaving together a nuclear family of our own. We each begin to establish our own way of functioning as a family; our unique routines, likes, and dislikes. These are the things that give us a sense of identity and belonging.
As we all gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, we will repeat many of the long cherished traditions that make us a family. But since traditions only start with “firsts”, we invite you to make Haven a new holiday tradition for your family. Whether to choose the perfect tree, hike a favorite trail, eat at a local restaurant, or snuggle by the fire with family and friends. You can try out all the cabins and decide which one will become your family’s special spot. We would consider it a privilege to become one of the traditions that contribute to the unique and cherish wonder you call “Our Family”.
With Love and Gratitude,
The Greenwoods and The Wrights