While we live in a melting pot, there’s a lot to be said for remembering your heritage and being proud of it. During the month of March, St. Patrick’s Day often brings out the Irish in almost everyone, but that could be in large part because the modern trappings of the holiday are so much fun, regardless of ancestry.
Aside from celebrating holidays in honor of our heritage, there are lots of things we can do to bring our heritage into our homes year-round. Here’s our step-by-step guide to celebrating your heritage.
- Find out for sure where your family hails from. Oftentimes, people don’t have a clue where their ancestors dwelled, but even if you do have a good idea, the results might surprise you. Check out a DNA service like Ancestry or 23 and Me to nail down your origins.
- Learn about your heritage. Find scholarly books about your heritage or watch a documentary that explains more about it. You may find traditions or décor that you’d like to bring into your home to celebrate where you come from. It’s also a lot of fun to teach kiddos about their ancestry as long as you find an activity or interesting facet that will hold their attention well.
- Celebrate holidays authentically. Do your best to emulate the actual traditions of your family’s homeland rather than the less accurate versions often celebrated in America. For instance, here’s a guide to celebrating an authentic St. Patrick’s Day.
- Add your heritage into your décor. Frame photos of your ancestors, cultural symbols, sheet music of the songs of your heritage, or photographs of your ancestral lands.
By doing any of these things, you can help to keep your heritage alive and establish its traditions in your family here at home. For more ideas on how to frame your family’s heritage, check out the Frame Warehouse Facebook page.
