Holiday Traditions

Christmastime is a time for children, right? Well yes and no. It’s true that as parents we don’t get the same type of joy from the holidays that children do. As adults our joy often comes from watching our children enjoy the holidays. However our joy of the season doesn’t begin and end there. We each have expectations attached to the holiday.

Whether you live in a tropical climate or the picturesque traditional snowy scene greets your door every holiday, everyone has their own picture of Christmas. Christmas trees, angels, wreaths, caroling, hot chocolate, silent midnight church services, candles, delightful cookies, rich eggnog, Figgie pudding, lights, and of course the jolly St. Nick and presents wrapped in colorful paper.

We also expect to follow certain traditions. Maybe they are traditions that we grew up with – like cutting down a tree every year. Maybe they’re traditions that evolved due to circumstances – like going to your local Christmas Eve church service. Maybe they’re traditions that appeal to you for other reasons – like the desire to educate your children about other cultures. So…
How do you celebrate Christmas?

When I was a child Christmas meant following my mother and my sisters around for hours until the ‘perfect’ tree was found. Then my poor dad would cut it down and haul it back to the car. Christmas also meant midnight church services, caroling with friends, my father reading us “the night before Christmas” while my sisters and I sat around him in matching red and white flannel pajamas and of course the wonderful Christmas morning where presents were opened. In retrospect it was the perfect “Norman Rockwell Christmas.

My best friend from Finland had different traditions. Her family feasted on pickled herring and boiled cod and opened their presents on Christmas Eve. A beautiful friend from the Philippines, her family spent much of the day in church and the day ended in a pageant. As a child I quickly learned that everyone celebrates Christmas differently. As an adult I can look back and see that the traditions my family followed weren’t just for their benefit, they were for us – the children.