If you had asked me a few years ago what kind of Christmas traditions my family had I probably would have said "snow pudding," and left it at that.Growing up I felt like my family did Christmas very differently than most. We didn't have a tree and there were a few years that we didn't even exchange gifts. I couldn't tell you what we were doing to celebrate Christmas from one year to the next and just wanted to have some sort of tradition. You know, like the families that always put up their tree the day after Thanksgiving, open gifts Christmas morning--maybe even while still in warm flannel pajamas, have certain activities they do every Christmas afternoon, etc.
The first year I ever remember having a Christmas tree was when I was about 13 years old. It was SO exciting! Mom showed us younger kids how to set up a tree and how to put lights on it. Then possibly the best part came, I got to put the ornaments I had received year after year from Grandma on the tree as well as many other ornaments that I had never even seen before. All the other Christmas decorations came out and the house really started to look and feel like Christmas. Then day after day as Christmas approached, gifts started forming piles under and around the tree. It was all so thrilling! Looking back on it, this was one of my favorite Christmases.
While Christmas was a bit unpredictable growing up, my parents did their best to teach us kids the true meaning of Christmas. They wanted us to learn that it wasn't about getting lots of gifts, but it was about the birth of Jesus and God choose the virgin Mary to bring his own son into the world to to give us the gift of eternal life. Instead of encouraging us to think about what we wanted for Christmas they taught us the importance of having a giving heart giving by volunteering as a family to help prepare meals with the Salvation Army's Meals on Wheels program on Christmas morning. All of us kids enjoyed getting up early Christmas morning, driving through the snow, and then--decked in aprons, hair nets, and gloves--assembling meals for several hours. I remember being so small that Dad would tie the floppy gloves around my wrists so they would stay on and then I would get to help put rolls into the dinners or scoop jelly with an ice cream scoop. After the job was done we would go back to the cars and drive home through the snow. (Because I always remember it snowing on Christmas morning. Probably my imagination but it makes it more wonderful!)
As I think about past Christmases there are some things that bring back fond memories and there are other things that, well, the memories aren't quite so fond. I learned a few things from the different ways we celebrated, and as I look back on it, I am grateful to my parents for stressing the true meaning of Christmas. The meaning of Christmas and the attitude of giving was so stressed in my family that I was completely caught off guard when I was talking to mom a couple weeks ago and she asked me "what do you want for Christmas." After recovering from the surprise of her question, I thought about it but could only think of one thing. I knew Christmas was coming up and I had thought about and purchased gifts for others, but never once thought about what I wanted. I am so thankful that my parents took the time to instill in me a giving heart that wasn't concerned about what I wanted others to do for me, but instead what I could do for others.
This year I am SO excited for Christmas and the days surrounding it. I am looking forward to being with my family again, hanging out with my awesome siblings (I honestly couldn't ask for better ones), making, and eating, Christmas cookies and other special holiday treats, ice skating around a bonfire in the middle of a frozen lake, playing games, singing all my favorite Christmas songs, celebrating birthdays, seeing friends who are home from college, decorating gingerbread houses, and watching the Muppet's Christmas Carol. (The list goes on)
I feel like this is all a bit of a disorganized rant, but I've stared at it for long enough now and want to leave you with this.
Whatever your Christmas traditions may be, I pray that you wouldn't get caught up in the business of the season and that you will experience the peace, love, and joy surrounding the season. Wherever you are, and whatever you do for Christmas this year, remember the true meaning of Christmas. How God sent his son to be born of the virgin Mary so that he could save each and every one of us.
Merry Christmas Friends!
