A Christmas Tradition

Welcome! Welcome! Please... come on in. Make yourself at home. Grab a cup of coffee and a warm throw. Outside the snow is gently falling and the air is brisk and cold. Inside, the fire is crackling and friends are gathering.

Once again we have come together in My Quiet Corner to share a moment of Christmas together. Last year we shared our Christmas Memories. What a wonderful time that was.

This year, I thought we could share our Christmas traditions. You know, those things find ourselves doing every year. Things of the season that have become so very familiar to us. Moments we cherish and hold dear. Events that our children assume every family does at Christmas. Whatever your tradition, we would love to hear about it!!

Write and post your tradition at your own blog and then paste the URL (address) of that post in Mr. Linky below so we can all share in your unique and individual way to celebrate this time of year.

If you do not come with your own tradition to share, please join us as you read of how other's individualize this wonderful time of year.

Settle in! Let the sharing and celebrating begin...


















We seem to have many traditions as a family. We have traditions with friends. We have traditions at church. Some have already happened. Some will begin this week. Other's will take place throughout the season and some are yet to come.

In all of the ways we find to celebrate, there is one that I hold particularly dear to my heart. It is not just one specific thing, but rather a chain of traditions and events that all mold into one creating new, unique memories for each year... even in it's familiarity.

My treasured tradition(s) begin on Christmas Eve. We have a very simple Christmas Eve candlelight service at church. It is the same thing every year. It is a very special time to be able to attend with my family and focus on the true meaning of our celebration. Not only does my immediate family attend, so do any extended family that have come to town to be with us. It is also a touching time of celebration with our church family.

Each year after the service, we do the same thing. It never changes. The only variable is whose house it will take place at... our's or Grandma and Grandpa's. All the family gather and a few gifts are given to the children. (My children are the only ones on my husband's side of the family.) Each child opens their stockings. They each also get to open two gifts from grandma and grandpa. They know what are in the packages but that does not change the excitement or the sense of mystery.

The first gift is a specialized Christmas tree ornament. My mother in law started this tradition. Every year she searches to find an ornament with a specific meaning to represent that last year for each of them.

Each year as the family tree is put up, they are given their own ornaments of the years past to hang. When they are grown and leave home someday... they will take their ornaments with them as a start to their own trees. Each ornament serves as a reminder of each and every year of their lives.

The second gift of Christmas Eve is a brand new, warm snuggly pair of PJ's. There is excitement in this gift as it ushers in the next part of the tradition. They will wear their new PJ's Christmas Eve... and stay overnight at Grandma and Grandpa's house. They sleep in the living room under the lit tree and welcome Christmas Day together, under the lights of the season.

Christmas morning does not find them rising at the first sign of light to rip into their packages. Instead, the focus remains on the true reason for Christmas. They get up, dress and have their breakfast. My husband and I also get ready and head over to the parent's house. (Yes, we get Christmas Eve together... the two of us!)

Once we arrive and everyone is ready, we gather around the tree. Before we open gifts, we spend time reflecting and again remembering the significance of Christmas in our hearts.

This part of the day takes my memories and heart to a home and family miles away across the country. When I was a child, we... as a family, would recite the entire Christmas Story found in Luke Chapter 2 together. I was the oldest of 5 children. Our young voices led by those of our parents would ring out with that story and promise of long ago.

Even to this day, the members of my side of the family that are able to gather together still recite this passage... from memory... on Christmas Day. Their voices all ring together in unison as that precious story is again remembered and recounted. As we do the same with my children, my heart is in two places... with my family here and with my family across the miles.

It is only in the last few years that we are working on the reciting of that Scripture with our children. In their younger years, we would have them tell the Christmas story using their child's nativity set. Even when they were just toddlers, they would move the people and recount the story with prompts.

What a blessing it is to sit back and watch as my children reflect and remember that wonderful story. How it touches my heart as they spend time speaking of Jesus and his coming to earth as a baby with the purpose to die for us. I am amazed and touched as I realize they are taking the time to remember, focused and intent, in the presence of wrapped packages waiting to be opened.

For it is not about the packages that await... it is about the greatest gift of all. A gift worth spending time remembering, telling and cherishing. It is the very gift of God Himself.

After the Word of God is shared, we then pray together, as a family. What a blessed time as we are gathered, Christmas tree lit with bright packages, bows and ribbons below... to thank God for the greatest blessings... each other and His Son.

Then it is time for presents. Each package is opened individually, one at a time with appreciation given to the one it was from. Again, we do not want the entire focus to be on the present itself, but on the thought and person that gave that gift. The children also personally hand deliver the packages they have for others to that specific individual. It is about the giving...

Of course, my children are ecstatic, delighted and excited when it comes to presents! But I hope and pray they are having established in them the meaning and gratitude of the most important gifts of all... friends, family... and the gift of God's Son born in a manger to give His life for us!

May we never take the focus from that manger that led to the cross!!
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In what special way do you celebrate this season? What event warms your heart and leaves you with memories to treasure for years to come? What fun activity do you take part in? What special creation or craft do you make? What recipe is guaranteed in your home? .....

Share with us as we all celebrate together. As we share, perhaps we will find new ways and ideas that we want to incorporate into our season. Maybe you will share an idea we want to try once. Maybe it will be something we want to make a regular part of our celebration of the season.

Let's all share Christmas together in a special way today. What is your unique and personalized way to cherish this season?

(Write a post at your site and place the URL address to that post in Mr. Linky below. If you do not have a blog but would like to share, please feel free to do so in the comments.)