Traditions...

**Cue Fiddler on the Roof song!**


Some families have caroling sessions around the neighborhood, while still others have huge cookie exchanges, and still others have gigantic light displays in their front yard.

All these things--and other Christmas traditions--are all well and good, in fact I personally love singing carols from about end of October through December 31st! But in all these seemingly harmless, good things, our hearts can be caught up in the outward glitz and materialistic spirit of Christmas, rather than using this time of preparing to celebrate Jesus' birth, to re-focus in on how our hearts stand with the King of Kings.

Our family belts out (okay...in truth only two people in my family can sing really well..) carols with the rest of them, bakes a few favorite "traditional" Christmas cookies every year in spite of most of us being Gluten Free...in fact, most of our family traditions involve food! LOL My Dad sets up a huge train platform in our basement just like his dad--my Pap--did, stockings are hung by the chimney with care...but there are two traditions that my siblings and I remember most when each Christmas has come and gone: Advent devotions/unit studies...and yes, food! We don't claim to be gurus of gourmet, or a Martha Stewart when it comes to tablescapes and decor...but we sure love our holiday dishes that were most passed down from my great-grandmother, Baba.

We have a huge, green folder marked ADVENT that sits in our computer desk, pulled out just after Thanksgiving. Every year Mum is faithful to sift through the folder, and her Favorites online, to compile a simple, yet meaningful study for the whole family. This year, Mum invested in a beautiful new Advent wreath and candle holder, while with bittersweet attitude, I watched her pitch the one that had constantly sat on our table since before I was born. The four red candles represent the blood of Jesus' sacrifice, while the white candle in the center represents the purity of Jesus' birth, and how He has recreated all those who have trusted in Him.

The papers are marked with old, hardened candle wax, while some of the words are faded...but they hold the timeless, ever-applicable message of why we celebrate Christmas, and the four weeks leading up to it--Advent. Old hymns are sung in typical out of key fashion, Scriptures from Luke and the prophet Isaiah are read with simple passion from our not-so-little man, Ronnie, and Dad prays over us after each reading.

We did all this just last night during dinnertime, then we jetted off to church for their Advent of Hope Christmas Concert which was truly a blessing. Mum's been on a quest to find Christ-centered family outings for us all to do this year, not to mention new traditions to establish in our home. The memories we've made our countless.

Nothing elaborate...but these are just a few of the things we do to focus on the true meaning of Christmas...and every year they always create countless memories--some sweet, some funny--that I cherish close to my heart.

(Go to Bible Chapel (dot) org and listen/watch our Pastor's awesome December messages about refocusing in on how to do Christmas differently...and how to let that carry into a new year.)