Christmas Traditions

With our daughter home from college for the Christmas (not winter, holiday, or semester!) break, we're rekindling some of our favorite old traditions...

We already started with the first one when she was home at Thanksgiving--we made Christmas cookies. Now we're getting the season into full swing. As I was thinking this morning, I reflected on the value of family traditions. There's something very powerful and comforting about knowing what's going to happen.

When I was growing up, we quoted the Christmas story from Luke 2 before we opened our presents. (We do that in my family too, although I find I need to have a Bible handy for help by the time I get down to verse 17 or 18--getting old I guess!) When you're eight years old, and the only thing standing between you and your presents is 20 verses from the King James Version, you try to talk as fast as you possibly can...and you sure don't appreciate your younger siblings slowing you down! But without memories like that, Christmas just wouldn't be the same.

So as time permits (there is a much more pressing priority at the moment!) I'll try to share a few more of my favorite Christmas memories and traditions. It's part of what makes this holiday so special.