Getting (Pop) Cultured
My Family's "Culture Weekend" Tradition
On the rare occasion that my mom was traveling and my dad had solo parenting duties, he would host what he called “Culture Weekends” for me and my sister. He would pick a pop culture theme that had meaning to him and that he wanted to impart to the two of us. I remember weekends dedicated to Indiana Jones, the original Star Wars, and classic rock music.
As a kid, these weekends meant a lot of junk food and staying up late. It meant learning to do headstands while my dad quizzed us on classic rock trivia (I still have weird knowledge about the band Yes because of this!). It meant turning the classic floor is lava game into the floor of the snakes in honor of Indiana Jones.
As an adult, I think my dad was a genius. This was a way to ensure he didn’t get stuck watching kids entertainment all weekend! But I also think it really meant something to him to get to share the things he loved with us. When I look back on those weekends, I don’t remember the finer points of any of the movies we watched, but I do remember the stories of the first times he saw those films. I remember how animated he was when he would play air guitar on his favorite riffs and sharing how upset he was when his 8-track of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” was stolen out of his car.
My husband Cameron and I have expanded on this tradition, holding Culture Weekends of our own when we want to reconnect, relax, and learn something new about each other. And now, because I am an intense lover of a theme, I have expanded to include themed food and cocktail menus for the weekend. We’ve done this for Firefly, the Jurassic Park franchise, and Star Wars (a repeat of the originals plus the newer ones). We’ve also broadened beyond one franchise/series to have an overarching theme where we each pick a few movies to be featured. This past weekend we held a Culture Weekend for time travel movies, each picking time travel movies we loved and a couple of new-to-us films we wanted to explore together.
Culture Weekend picks always prompt discussion of where you were when you first saw the movie/show, what was going on in your life at that time, and what you take away now that you didn’t then. I’ve also found it to be a fun way to learn about teen crushes!
A “Culture Weekend” can feature any topic, but there are a few elements that make it really work:
Dedicated Time - Time is our most precious resource and it is so easy to try and multi-task during a movie/show. It doesn’t have to be a whole weekend, but making sure you are present during whatever time you have set aside makes a difference.
A Likable Pick - There are movies Cameron loves that he does not choose for our weekends because I wouldn’t enjoy them and vice versa. While Culture Weekend choices often expand out of your comfort zone, this is meant to be a shared experience so picking something that the other person/people will like is important.
Making It Fun - The absolute worst thing that could happen to a Culture Weekend is if it felt like a chore. Just because you made a list of ones to watch doesn’t mean you have to follow it if you aren’t feeling it at the moment!
I hope this is a tradition we carry on for decades to come and that it is one you can use or riff on. Which movies or pop culture topics have meaning to you that you would like to share with the important people in your life?
Let me know if you are planning to throw one or have future theme ideas!
This Week’s Recommendations
Just in case you have been feeling like this newsletter has not delivered on its promise of poop, this IG post has you covered. (Shoutout to Kelly for sharing!)
She’s Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino - This book comes out today and you should read it! It’s a great multi-generational story and I loved it!
Love Island UK - I have gotten sucked in. I’m behind because I only just learned I had access to it on Hulu, but I can’t seem to turn it off. I’m also learning so many new British slang terms!
The Quiet Glory of Aging into Athleticism - Anne Helen Petersen’s writing is always amazing, but this piece really resonated. Unlearning fatphobia and uncoupling that from exercise will be an ongoing battle, but it feels amazing when I am able to really listen to my body.