Traditional or Original?

Originally published in MBTI Talk

The holidays are just around the corner. The music, decorations, food, smiles on people’s faces, and gifts (giving and receiving!), all make this season special. I love this time of year. Of course. how people prefer to celebrate this season can differ quite a bit, and one way it differs depends on where they find themselves on the Traditional-Original MBTI® Step II™ facet. This facet is about the approach to traditions in the social context. People who have the preference for traditional tend the value that you follow a rule/regulation the way it's meant to be followed. People on the original side like to think of new, novel ways to do things. And that means sometimes we look a bit different, but sometimes we like that about ourselves—the unique approach.

Traditional people like to honor the holidays by keeping things like they have always known them. If you are a traditional person and you have tamales every Christmas or livivot for Hanukkah or mrouzia for Eid al-Adha, then your holiday just would not be the same if for some reason that food is not there on the special day.

Then along comes the Original person (that’s me!). While I may like any or all of the foods above, the idea of introducing some new food or some new way to celebrate the holiday really appeals to me. A few years ago, I took a road trip with my partner to visit friends in Sedona. I wasn't sure what we were going to eat, but I knew it was unlikely to be my mom’s incredible tamales. But to me, that was okay because I got to experience something new and interesting instead. Fun!