Exploring wild family rituals and the digital traditions that keep us
From Jamaican spiced buns to Czech customs, we explore how blending diverse traditions and new rituals builds a legacy of memories that feel like home.
From Willow Whips to Jamaican Bun: Our Wild Family Traditions
Last week, I shared a tradition that’s close to my heart—the yearly ritual of watching the Ultra Music Festival livestream with my best friend, Moe. Even when we aren’t in the same room, that shared digital experience keeps us connected. It got me thinking: traditions are a hell of a thing. Often, we find ourselves repeating these rituals year after year without even stopping to ask why—we just know that it wouldn’t feel like "the season" without them.
This week, as Easter rolled around, I was struck by the wild, beautiful, and sometimes confusing mix of traditions that make up my world.
A Taste of Home (and a New Start)
For me, Easter has a very specific flavor. Being Jamaican, you can’t have Easter without bun and cheese. That dense, spiced fruit bun paired with a thick slice of processed canned cheese—specifically Tastee cheese—is the ultimate nostalgia. If you’ve never had "cheese from a tin," it’s a culinary mystery that somehow tastes like pure joy once a year.
What made this year special was watching those old roots sprout something brand new. I casually sent Kat a Jamaican bun recipe on Instagram—mostly just as a "hey, look at this" DM—and she absolutely outdid herself. It’s her superpower: taking a random spark of an idea and turning it into something tangible and special before the oven even has a chance to cool down. Just like that, we’ve started a new tradition: making our own Jamaican Easter bun and bun bunnies at home. It’s no longer just something I remember from growing up; it’s something we’re building together (though I’m still the official quality control taster).
The Contrast of Faith: The "Lawd Suppa"
My family is a bit of a mosaic when it comes to belief. While some of us are tucking into bun and cheese, another side of my family are Jehovah’s Witnesses. They don’t actually celebrate Easter, as they view its origins as non-Christian. Instead, they observe the Memorial of Christ’s Death (the Lord’s Evening Meal).
I’ll be honest—I don’t connect with my spiritual side as often as I probably should. But thanks to my two amazing sisters, this is one event I haven’t missed in years. This year was particularly special: my nephew served as the elder for the Locust Manor Jamaican Creole Congregation.
Hearing the "Lawd Suppa" service delivered in Jamaican Patois was a moment of immense pride. It brings the story of the empty tomb to life in a way that feels personal and direct. For those curious about the specific account of Mary Magdalene’s discovery and the moments the disciples realized Jesus was alive, this account of the empty tomb is a great way to walk through those events step-by-step.
Whipping, Poems, and Perfume: The Czech Way
Then we have Kat’s side of the family. If you think a giant bunny delivering eggs is odd, let me introduce you to Eastern European traditions—specifically from the Czech Republic.
In Czech culture, Monday is the big day. Men and boys go door-to-door with a "pomlázka"—a whip handmade from braided willow branches. But it’s not just about the whip; there’s a whole performance. While they "whip" the women (gently!), they have to recite a specific poem or sing a traditional song.
Once the performance is over, the "blessing" of fertility, health and youth is sealed by splashing the girls with cold water or even perfume. It’s essentially the world’s most aggressive wellness treatment. The idea is that the willow’s vitality keeps the women healthy for the year. In return, the men usually get a drink or a decorated egg. (I’m still waiting to see if Hamilton is ready for me to walk around with a willow whip, but I suspect the neighbors might have questions.)
New Roots in North America
Of course, living here, we can’t escape the classics: the Easter Bunny, chocolate eggs, and pastel-colored everything. But this year felt special because we are weaving all these threads together to create our own "Vilhelm" traditions.
1. The Farm: We took Alyce to a local farm this week. Watching her tiny hands searching for hidden eggs in the grass was a reminder of why we do this. It’s about the hunt, the excitement, and the pure joy of discovery.
1. The Easter Basket: When we got back, Kat surprised me with an Easter basket. It was stuffed with chocolates and toys—essentially a "spring version" of a Christmas stocking. It was a small gesture, but it’s these little surprises that stick in your mind.
Why We Build Memories
When you look at it all at once—the homemade Jamaican bun, the Patois Memorial service, the Czech willow whips, and the North American egg hunts—it’s a lot. It’s a chaotic, multi-cultural, multi-faith blend of "things we do."
But why do we do them? Because these are the bricks we use to build memories. Whether we are reciting poems in Czech, listening to a sermon in Patois, or sharing a slice of homemade bun, we are marking time. We are telling Alyce, and ourselves, that this time of year is different. It’s a time to stop, reflect, and most importantly, build a legacy of moments that she will one day look back on and say, "I don't know exactly why we did it, but I know it felt like home."
What’s Your Tradition for this time of year?
We all have them—those rituals that seem perfectly normal to us but might look a little "extra" to everyone else. What is that one thing your family does every year that makes the season feel real? Whether it’s a specific meal or a quirky custom you inherited, I’d love to hear about it. Hit reply and let me know!
