Christmas Traditions

Please read this blog post from Leslie Vernick.  My comment for her post got too long and I decided to make my own blog post. http://myfaithradio.com/2013/tired-of-keeping-all-those-christmas-traditions/

Great post Leslie!  I remember those days!  We were in the same church back then.   I was so afraid of not measuring up that anything someone else would do, I had to do. 

  So I:

1.  Decorated every inch of the first floor of our house.  

2.  Baked millions of cookies. 

3.  Baked tea breads. 

4.  Made all the teachers at school and church a gift. 

5.  Made ornaments for our tree coming up with a new theme most years.  

6.  Fretted over the perfect tree and making family memories to get said tree. 

7.  Made popcorn and cranberry strands for the tree.  (Till we got a dog that NEVER got into anything she shouldn't have EXCEPT to eat each piece of popcorn on said string.  Never touching the cranberries and leaving the string on the tree.)

8. Many years I made my daughter's Christmas dress.  

None of these things seem important anymore.   

I was in pain and drugged up to kill that pain for 18 years.  I was not able to 'do' Christmas the way I had thought it needed to be done.   

I have had years when we:

1. Didn't decorate the tree.  Yes we had one but didn't get it decorated.  Actually , this happened more than I care to count.  

2. Barely got gifts bought. Well maybe not that.  I always seem able to buy more than I plan. 

3.  Had no cookies.  Hmm.  That's not true either because we can always help those who do bake millions of cookies keep theirs from going in the trash.  

4.  Had no tea bread.  Again.  There's always tea bread to be eaten.  

5.  Didn't make ornaments.  

6.  Didn't give a homemade gift to all those people who invest in our lives.  

I remember a couple of years when I first was unable to do it all.  I asked our kids what traditions they remember and would not want me to stop doing.  They couldn't come up with a single one! So I asked them all what cookie they would miss.   Hmm.  None!  

I think I effectually made Christmas so much about doing Christmas, that I, like Leslie was such a frazzled mess by Christmas Day that I was not a sane mom.   Not so sure I really ever was a sane mom but I surely was not the weeks leading up to Christmas.  

With being sick for 18 years and moving last year this is my first Christmas 'doing' Christmas since the Lord healed me.

So as I prepare this year for Christmas I want to remind myself that Christmas is not at all about 'doing' Christmas but about celebrating Christ's birth and his wonderful love for this world that he came to save us and bring us home with him someday. 

I want to figure out what traditions I want to return to (maybe a decorated tree every year would be nice) and what is just not necessary or maybe doable each year.  

I do think one thing my family liked was the year(s) I decided to have our big meal on Christmas Eve and only had a simple meal or even leftovers on Christmas Day. I remember my dad complaining that mom spent the whole day in the kitchen instead of with the family relaxing and playing in the LR. I think I might try making this a tradition.  Oh and I do know there is at least one in my family who liked the Christmas brunch of egg casserole.  That might have to stay.  

If you have not personally accepted this greatest gift of all, the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus please do so today.  Knowing and believing that Jesus was born into this world, was crucified and rose 3 days later does not save one from eternal separation from God.  You must accept this free gift for yourself by believing IN Jesus and that he did this for you personally.   Repent of your sin which means turning from your sin and turning towards God.  Ask His forgiveness for your sin and for Him to be YOUR Savior.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!  

And may your traditions not interfere with your ability to show God's love this season to others.