My Favorite Christmas Traditions
Advent
This is a much newer tradition that I hear many churches are taking up. Focusing on the spiritual meaning of Christmas as I proceed through the days leading up to Christmas is very special to me. There are many quiet hours near Christmas that have that peaceful satisfaction and the moments of advent reflection give peeks into that throughout the whole season.
Christmas Eve Service
To me, the candlelight Christmas Eve Service is the beginning of the culmination of the whole Christmas season. Ideally, ALL preparations are ready at this point: food prepared, gifts wrapped, holiday parties enjoyed, employment on hold at least for a while, and the hustle of getting to church over. I rest and relax into this beautiful time of saturating myself in God’s love for me in this part of His unfolding plan–Jesus being born. I love greeting everyone, hearing words of encouragement from the sermon, singing the familiar songs, watching the glow of the candles grow as more and more are lit, illuminating the entire room and all the faces around me. Then home for a meal and Christmas Eve presents with music playing and a fire burning. sigh
Caroling
Again, many different ways to bless those in a trying situation in their life, be it a hospital stay, nursing home, illness or disability, by visiting in their home or facility and singing, bringing flowers and gifts, and a smile and prayer with them. I do this regularly throughout the year but the carols, only at Christmastime.
Cookies
Baking cookies is a lot of work, but they are so good! It was something I did for my new family after I got married because it was affordable, and everyone loved them so much that it became a joke that I wouldn’t be allowed in the door on Christmas morning without them! My must-haves (in our language!) are chocolate chip, Hershey Kiss, and cookie-cutter cookies, but I have also done milk chocolate no bakes, oatmeal, peanut butter, and pretzel melts as my mood dictates.
Giving
There have been many, many ministries I have joined in with during the holidays: shoe boxes, toy drives, canned good collection, meal service, crisis pregnancy and women’s shelter collections, coat drives, and so on. My favorite is where I can pick a tag off a tree set up in a public location and get specific things for the specific person that are listed on the card and bring the items back to be delivered to that person. There is something special to me about being able to be personal.
Ham
I have never disliked ham, but my affinity for it has reached a level before unknown since eating it the way our family has it at Christmas. It is actually my father-in-law who prepares the ham for Christmas Day. He is passing on the procedure now
Hanukkah
This is another of my absolute favorite things we do at Christmas time. For years I created a makeshift menorah until they became readily available enough to find and buy a “real” one. I love the whole story of Hanukkah–how the Jewish people resisted the foreign government that was trying to prohibit their religion and won back their land through the leadership of the Maccabean family, how they went joyously to worship in their recaptured temple only to find it in ruins and desecrated, how they had such hearts to follow the commands of God and were obedient immediately in what they could (lighting the fire with the oil they had–enough for one day) and working on what was the next thing (making more sacred oil–which would take 8 days). I love how God miraculously responded to their worship by allowing the one-day supply to burn for eight days until more oil was ready. I love watching the menorah grow in brightness each day until all candles are burning.
The Messiah
In my town, the community choir and philharmonic orchestra put on a presentation of Handel’s Messiah. I have attended nearly every year since I found out about it’s existence. I and my daughter have also sung in this a few times. It is always a highlight of the season for me. It is presented early in December — which I love because I am reminded through it of the complete story of God’s plan for mankind before focusing on the details of Christ’s birth.
Programs
I very much enjoy going to churches around the area and participating in whatever Christmas program they might have for the season: cantatas, plays, musicals, walk thru, drive thru, live nativity. However, I find them done less and less as time passes.
Enjoy your holidays! Merry Christmas!
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