Winter: A New Year Tradition of Reflection, Not Rush


Winter is here.
January sits right in its heart.

The celebrations have quieted, the lights have dimmed, and daily life resumes—but not without leaving space behind. The cold lingers, the days are still short, and nature remains in rest mode. Trees stand bare, fields rest, and life slows down—not because it has stopped, but because it is preparing. This is not the start of something loud or visible. It is the deep season. The in-between.

And yet, this is also the moment when humans feel a different pull. As the year turns, many of us feel an inner invitation to begin again.

The New Year has become a modern ritual. A collective breath. A moment where we look back at what was, and gently—sometimes anxiously—look forward to what could be.

Slowing Down to See Clearly

Winter teaches something that we often forget: growth does not always look like movement. Sometimes growth looks like stillness.

Before setting new goals, winter asks us to reflect.
What did this past year teach us?
What drained us?
What nourished us?
What do we want more of—and what are we finally ready to release?

This season gives us permission to slow down without guilt. To sit with our thoughts. To listen to what has been whispering beneath the noise of daily life.

New Beginnings Look Different for Everyone

At the start of a new year, many people choose to set intentions:

  • Improving health or reconnecting with the body

  • Learning a new skill or hobby

  • Growing professionally or changing direction

  • Seeking meaning, depth, or inner peace

There is no single “right” path.

Each of us carries different needs, different wounds, different dreams. Comparison has no place here. What matters is not the form your intention takes, but the sincerity behind it.

Movement can be bold or subtle. A complete life change—or a small, quiet decision made just for yourself.

The Power of Not Being Idle

What truly matters is that we are learning.

Learning about ourselves.
Learning about others.
Learning how to live with more awareness.

Stagnation doesn’t always look like doing nothing—it often looks like moving without intention. Winter invites us to choose differently: to act with clarity or, sometimes, to consciously let go.

Letting go is also an action.

Being Seen Beyond Words

There is something deeply comforting in knowing that we are known beyond what we show to the world. Beyond our achievements, our roles, or the paths we choose.

The force that gave rise to all things does not measure us by labels or outward identities. What is seen—what truly matters—are our deepest desires, our quiet fears, our unspoken dreams.

Nothing is hidden. And nothing is rushed.

We are free to act.
We are also free to wait.
Both are part of becoming.


A New Year Tradition Worth Keeping

Perhaps the most meaningful New Year tradition is not about strict resolutions or pressure to transform overnight.

Perhaps it is this:
To enter the year with honesty.
To move with intention rather than urgency.
To remain curious instead of idle.
To allow growth to happen in its own rhythm.

Winter reminds us that even when the world looks still, something essential is happening beneath the surface.

And so are we.

Updated on Jan 6, 2026

Purple Friday: A New Tradition Rooted in Solidarity, Humanity, and the Courage to Stand Together




Every year on the second Friday of December, schools, communities, and workplaces across the Netherlands turn purple. It’s a simple gesture — a color, a shirt, a photo — but it carries a powerful message: everyone deserves safety, dignity, and love, no matter who they are or how they identify. Purple Friday is still a relatively new tradition, but it is already becoming a symbol of compassion and collective responsibility.

What Purple Friday Represents

Wearing purple is not about politics or trends. It’s about acknowledging a truth that too many young people know intimately: being different still comes at a cost, and far too many face exclusion, mockery, or silence instead of support.

Purple Friday is a reminder that:

  • LGBTQ+ youth should never feel alone

  • Everyone deserves to feel safe at school or at work

  • Visibility matters — when we show up, others feel safer to be themselves

This tradition offers something simple yet essential: a moment where people can visibly choose empathy.

A Call for Tolerance — and More Than Tolerance

Voltaire famously said:
“Toleration is the consequence of humanity.”
His warning against intolerance remains painfully relevant. Tolerance is not passive acceptance; it is an active commitment to allow others to exist freely, even when we don’t fully understand them.

But today, we’re asked to go a step further. Awareness is not enough. Neutrality is not enough. We owe each other dignity and respect — not despite our differences, but because they are part of what makes society rich.

Why This Matters

Bullying someone for who they are, who they love, or how they express themselves is not harmless teasing. It can shape a lifetime. For some, it can break one.

When we diminish someone’s identity, we send a message that:

  • They don’t belong

  • Their feelings are negotiable

  • Their existence requires permission

In a world already strained by division, this mindset corrodes trust and community.

A Shared World Demands Shared Responsibility

We live on the same planet, breathe the same air, raise our children in the same classrooms, and dream under the same sky. Our differences do not separate us — our inability to respect them does.

Real progress happens when we:

  • Learn to listen before we judge

  • Challenge our assumptions

  • Educate ourselves about realities we don’t personally experience

  • Accept that disagreement is normal, but intolerance is destructive

You don’t need to fully understand someone to treat them with dignity. You don’t need to share a belief to oppose cruelty. And you don’t need to be part of a community to stand with that community.

Learning, Understanding, and Choosing Humanity

Purple Friday reminds us that we are all capable of learning and unlearning. Growth is not comfortable, but it is necessary. If we want our children to inherit a society that is stronger, kinder, and more humane, we must model those values now.

We can disagree — of course we can. A world where everyone thinks the same would be a dull, fragile world. But intolerance is never an opinion. It is a refusal to let others exist fully. That’s the line we must never cross.

Ultimately, It Comes Down to Love

Behind this new tradition is something deeply human:
The belief that everyone deserves to be themselves without fear.

Wearing purple won’t solve everything. But it’s a start. A visible sign that we are willing to do better, learn more, listen deeper, and hold space for one another.

If that becomes a tradition, then it’s not just a color we’re wearing —
it’s the future we’re choosing.

Updated on Dec 12, 2025

How Traditions Are Born: A November Story From the Netherlands


Tradition is, at its core, a shared practice passed from one generation to the next—rooted in culture, history, and the stories of the people who came before us. It’s the quiet thread that connects families, communities, and entire nations. And for those of us who’ve lived and traveled across different countries, it becomes even clearer just how beautifully diverse these traditions can be.

Every place we’ve called home—France, Mexico, the Netherlands—has gifted us new customs, flavors, symbols, and celebrations. And with each one, we learn a little more about the people of the land: what they cherish, what shaped them, and what they hope to pass on.

Now that we are living in the Netherlands, November arrives (and is here!) with its own unique atmosphere: colder air, bicycles layered with morning frost, warm lights glowing behind windows… and one of the most beloved Dutch traditions of all — Sinterklaas.

The Story Behind Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas is not the Dutch version of Santa Claus — though the two share long-lost family resemblance. The story actually runs deep, stretching back centuries.

The tradition is rooted in Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop from Myra (present-day Türkiye), famous for his generosity toward children and people in need. Over time, this story traveled across Europe, mixing with local customs until it transformed into the Sinterklaas celebrated today.

He arrives in mid-November on a steamboat from Spain — a detail that often makes newcomers smile — accompanied by helpers, music, and festive energy. Dutch cities welcome him with parades, children wave little flags, and the excitement builds throughout the final weeks leading to December 5th, known as pakjesavond or “gift evening.”

The meaning behind Sinterklaas goes far beyond presents. At its heart, it’s about:

  • Generosity — small gifts placed in shoes, often with thoughtful poems.

  • Imagination — children listening for footsteps on rooftops.

  • Togetherness — families gathering to eat pepernoten and laugh over rhymed messages.

  • Ancestry — a celebration that carries centuries of European, Christian, and local Dutch influences.

Traditions evolve, of course — and Sinterklaas is no exception. What we see today is the result of many generations reshaping it, keeping the essence while adapting the details.

Embracing a Tradition That Isn’t Our Own

For families like ours, who carry French, Mexican, and multicultural roots, experiencing Sinterklaas is both fascinating and heartwarming. It reminds us that traditions don’t belong exclusively to one group. They open their doors to anyone willing to participate with respect, curiosity, and joy.

We watch our children discover these rituals with wide eyes. We taste the seasonal treats. We join the parades. And slowly, this Dutch celebration becomes part of our own story — another thread woven into our family’s growing tapestry of traditions.

Because that’s the beauty of tradition: it’s not static. It grows with us.
It expands every time a new family embraces it.
It becomes living history.

Updated on Nov 22, 2025

Celebrating Life: Día de los Muertos



Every year, on the 1st and 2nd of November, Mexico comes alive with color, music, and memories as families honor their loved ones who have passed away. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is much more than a holiday—it’s a celebration of life, love, and the enduring connections we have with those who came before us.

A Tradition Rooted in History

The origins of Día de los Muertos trace back thousands of years to the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, including the Aztecs, Maya, and Toltecs. These civilizations believed that death was not the end but a natural phase in life’s journey. They held rituals to honor the deceased and maintain a spiritual connection with them.

When Spanish colonizers arrived in the 16th century, they brought Catholic traditions, including All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Over time, these beliefs blended with indigenous practices, creating the unique celebration we know today—a mix of remembrance, spirituality, and festivity.

Symbols and Meaning

During Día de los Muertos, families build altars (ofrendas) adorned with flowers, candles, food, and personal items that honor the departed. Marigolds, known as cempasúchil, are believed to guide spirits back to the world of the living with their vibrant color and scent. Sugar skulls, or calaveras, represent the sweetness of life and serve as a playful reminder that death is part of the human experience.

Food plays a central role in the celebration. Traditional dishes like pan de muerto, tamales, and favorite family recipes of the deceased are placed on the altar. It is a moment to share stories, laughter, and memories—turning remembrance into a joyful act.

A Celebration for Everyone

Día de los Muertos invites us to reflect on life and death in a way that is celebratory, not sorrowful. It reminds us to honor our loved ones, cherish our memories, and find beauty in the cycle of life.

At Sazóné, we are inspired by this tradition’s warmth and depth. It teaches us that food, family, and memories are powerful ways to connect generations—and to celebrate life in all its flavors.

Updated on Nov 2, 2025