Christmas Traditions

 If your family does not already have some Christmas traditions, let me recommend that you start some this year.  And in your traditions, don’t forget the “reason for the season”. 

Quite often our family meets at an “away from home” site so our traditions have to be portable.  One year when we couldn’t find a Christmas Eve Service to attend in Myrtle Beach, we went back to the condo and did our own service.  This went so well that our youngest grandson planned a service for a couple of years in Orlando.  Everyone had a part either reading scripture or singing or playing Christmas music.

When we were early in our marriage and were able to make it from California to Mississippi, we always attended the Christmas Eve service at Harrisburg Baptist Church in Tupelo.  We have memories of communion where when everyone bit down on the “bread” it sounded like thunder.  Then there was the year that during the candle lighting part of the service a little boy got his candle too close to his sister’s well sprayed hair and it ignited.  Another year we attended the Christmas Eve Service at Ancient City Baptist Church in St. Augustine, FL and participated in communion there.

The one “non-negotiable” is always we either attend or have our own service before any gifts are opened.  If “Nana” had her way no gifts would be opened until Christmas Day.  (That goes for birthdays also)

Whatever you do, make some memories that will stay with you for years.  I know of some families who go to a shelter and help feed the homeless on Christmas. Others visit Nursing Homes and hospitals as a family to spread the joy of Christmas. Sometimes we would go caroling in the neighborhood as a family. Get creative.

  Bill Cole is originally from Alabama, grad of Samford University in Birmingham, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served churches in AL, LA, CA, and FL in various positions. He experienced the beginning of Jesus movement in the ’60’s and have done short term missions in South Africa, Russia, and Barbados. He Retired in 2023 from a 12-year pastorate in Lake Placid, FL. He is currently living with his wife in Sebring Florida. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcole39/

Image by DEEPAI