(Dale, Jena, Cole, Jorja, Cole's girlfriend, Kelsey, and our Bischon Frise, Prissy)
Traditions...they sometimes seem cheesy or unimportant to some, but over time they become a priceless and precious memory of endearment for all.
My Mother has always tried to make every holiday full of it's spiritual significance to our family. Some have made fun of her over the years, but for me, it has meant the world....because I know that she loves us enough to want to make each time together so incredibly special. I love the fact that she doesn't really care if others like it or not because she is being obedient to what she believes the Lord wants her to do. She has burned a trail in my heart that I seek to follow for my family and hopefully the generations that follow.
One of our traditions at Christmas is called Pajama Express. We all get on our pj's (we usually get a new pair each Christmas), load up in the car, and drive to Starbuck's. It is a rule that you have to go into Starbuck's with your pj's on. If you are too cool to go in, you forfeit your coffee of choice (Cole's junior year of high school? no hot chocolate for the fashion statement). Then, we ride around singing and listening to Christmas music (this year: Travis Cottrell's new CD, Hillsongs Christmas, and the good ole must: The Carpenter's Christmas) and looking at Christmas lights.
We also in the past have always purchased a new Christmas book and read it together.....I think I might pull out an old one this year.....either "The Crippled Lamb" or "Alabaster' Song" by Max Lucado or something like that.
How about you? Does your family have some Christmas traditions? If not, I encourage you to come up with a few of your own and make this a time to remember the Savior's birth and His promise to return......CELEBRATE IT!
(Dale, Jena, Cole, Jorja, and Cole's girlfriend, Kelsey)
Jena
At our house we go to the Christmas Eve service and church and then come back home to open one present. I always teased my wife that I never liked to get things like socks at Christmas so we turned that into a tradition. On Christmas Eve each of us in the family gets a crazy pair of socks to wear. We make a big deal out of it like we are surprised and then the kids wear them to bed. After that we read Twas the Night Before Christmas and set out Santa's goodies and then head off to bed. In the morning before we open presents we light all our Advent Candles and then read the Christmas story out of the Bible or a children's book to focus on last time on the real meaning of the season. Thanks for sharing your tradition. Its sounds like a lot of fun!