What Christmas traditions are your favorite? Is it getting together with Family? How about putting up decorations or cutting down your own tree? Maybe it’s the music, a certain meal, or if you’re like me, maybe it’s the gifts! When you think back what are some of your favorite memories?
I remember when I was younger me and my 3 older siblings were able to open two presents on Christmas eve, each from a relative that lived far away. My mom would dig out a special house phone with a speaker on it (used only for this occasion) and we would call, sing them Silent Night, Away in a Manager, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Then we would give a play-by-play color commentary as we tore off the wrappings and describe the gift underneath. It was a great way to stay connected to them and something we looked forward to every year. As we grew up that tradition faded. We started families of our own and chose to keep some of our traditions and create new ones.
If you ask Webster, it will tell you that traditions are “the handing down of information, beliefs, or customs from one generation to another”. I specifically love the idea of how traditions connect us past and future generations. In 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Paul writes, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” What traditions is Paul referencing? This book addresses persecution, Jesus' return, and our need to remain faithful, reminding us that what we hope for shapes what we live for. Traditions can serve as a reminder of truth and give us something steadfast to hold onto in a world of confusion.
Years later the importance of traditions still hold true. Hanging up decorations and opening presents are not bad things. But do our traditions reflect the true meaning of the season? Now I’m not suggesting you undergo a “Joanna Gaines” type overhaul of your Christmas routine. But maybe there is some room for change. How did you spend this Holiday growing up? How do you spend it now? What information, beliefs, or customs do you want your family and future generations to take with them? Maybe this year you bring back and old tradition, tweak a current one, or usher in something new.
Merry Christmas!!!