Meaningful Christmas Eve Traditions

Milk and cookies for Santa seems so magical and anticipatory.  I just have a hard time reinforcing something that isn't real.

I was so excited when I stumbled across some old Irish Christmas traditions in a book I was reading recently. 

From what I can find, I'm intrigued by these three parts to the old traditions.  On Christmas Eve night,

A candle was left lit in the window to welcome weary travelers, like Mary and Joseph. 

The door was left unlocked for weary travelers to find shelter, just as Mary and Joseph found shelter in the stable. 

A meal or a plate of bread was left on the table for the travelers to find sustenance in their time of need. 

I'm loving the focus of these traditions. 

The candle reminds me of the verse that tells us to entertain strangers, as we might just entertain an angel sometime.  (Hebrews 13:2)  It also points back to the Christmas story, helping our children to think of the situation Mary and Joseph found themselves in.  It was hardly ideal and surely stressful.  What if the innkeeper hadn't even let them use his stable?

The unlocked door demonstrates another aspect of hospitality.  I plan on reminding the Blossoms that whatever we've done to the least of them, we've done to Jesus.  Let's welcome folks with open hearts and homes.

I plan on letting the girlies decide what to leave out on the Christmas plate.  We'll talk about leaving out protein, so our travelers feel full.  We'll talk about leaving a treat, that someone on the street might not have often.  Perhaps we'll put out milk for its nourishing qualities.  It's not that I'm on a soapbox for protein; I just want them to turn their thoughts to others, to see the symbolism of how we might treat others in the way God would want.  I want them to think of how Mary and Joseph would've liked to be treated long ago. 

I want the whole conversation to turn their thoughts again to that beautiful story, the tapestry that Father God wrought for us to discover the Savior that came that night so long ago. 

The anticipation was building as I set up the photo shoot for this post.  I'm glad.  Just because you don't believe in Santa doesn't mean you can't have magical traditions.  In fact, as I'm finding, some of the most beautiful, symbolic traditions are found in the Bible and "old time religion."  (Check out the Passover feast if you want to see the very traditions God set up for the Jews... but that's another conversation, for another time.)  We've just forgotten the glorious traditions amidst the Santa stuff.

Merry Christmas, friends,
Dominique

Donuts - Christmas Craziness

Never ask a Two Year Old what she would like for dessert on Christmas Day...

A gleeful shout of "DONUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" will not help your meal planning, but it so stinkin' cute, I must say.

Practice for a duet; Practice for life

I think Blossom1 and Blossom2's piano teacher is a genius for suggesting a duet!  They've had to work together diligently over the past week.  It is only just yesterday and today starting to sound like "Deck the Halls."  She warned them not to give up.  I think it has been a terrific exercise in working together. 



May the cooperation in our household only increase!

The Road to Eternity

I look at this blog as a snapshot of my life.  By reading here, you see what I'm like, who I am, what I stand for, who I love.  I am only sometimes overt here.  Most other times, I leave you to glean the Truth for yourselves. 

But something has been on my heart recently.  It is the road to Eternity. 

Life is a blink.  It is brief.  It is deceiving in that so much that seems insistently important is truly small, genuinely nothing.  In this busy life, we can fool ourselves.  We think that there's not much more than this - the running, the meals, the pleasures.  But there is.  There are truths that are eternally important.  When we stop, when we take a walk in nature, when we take a deep breath, when we clear away the clutter, we come face to face with something more.  So much more.

All of us have sinned.  And we have fallen short.  If you feel that stab in your heart, as you read, it is your conscience in agreement with these Truthful words.  We have missed the mark in a heart-wrenchingly disappointing way, despite every human effort we put forth.  We, and our best efforts at life, are not enough.

Death comes from sin.  Sin is missing the mark and missing the mark isn't a joke.  It results in forever away from the Father God.  Living completely separated from Him, unable to hear His voice now on earth.  And later, once you've died, forever experiencing daily death for infinity in hell.  Sobering, and real, friend.  Your sin deserves the wages, or the payment of death.  What will you do?

You don't have to remain forever separated from God.  There is eternal life offered to you by Jesus Christ, God's son dying on the cross.  It is what Christ did for you.  He took the place you deserved.  It's easy to say it was for the man you see in Wal-mart or the lady with the bratty kids, but Christ died for you (me).  He took what you deserved.

Will you scorn these truths or will you take them on faith?    After the perfect, sinless man, Jesus, took what you deserved, He won a victory over death, by not staying dead(!)  Will you believe that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead?  It is in your heart that you must grasp this.  Your head will cry out in revolt, but there is truly no other way to stand right, to be made clean, to be made new, before God.  No other way.  The heart must believe the Truth. 

Humbly cry out to God.  Ask Him to save you.  Ask Him to forgive your sins, to give you a new nature.  Ask Him to be the Lord of your life. 

This is the road to an Eternity unseparated from a caring Father God.  There is so much more to discover along the way ~ God's purpose for you, His plan for your life, how you can please Him every day, but the journey of a million miles begins with only one step, the step of salvation.

Follow the Star; Forget the Elf

Over on Serving Pink Lemonade, I discovered our latest Christmas tradition.  (Is it a tradition yet, if you've only done it for a week or so?  You decide.)  I've seen people do the whole, elaborate Elf on the Shelf repertoire.  That's a lot of work to reinforce something that isn't real. 

I was encouraged by Large Families on Purpose, to do whatever I can to keep the meaning of Christmas at the forefront for our family. 

 

Christmas is about the coming of a Savior who would change all time.  Jesus changed our relationship with God forever.  We are no longer distant, afar off.  Because of Him, we can come boldly to the throne of the Father God.  Jesus' coming revolutionized life for all peoples.  He defied death and righted the wrong that Adam set in motion long before.  So, yes, presents and trees and hot chocolate and cookies are as pale as a black and white rendering held beside the full-color, real-life scenery of an exquisite tropical place. 



When we start our Christmas decorating, we set up the Nativity scene first.  The Blossoms delight in collecting shepherds from Thrift Stores, Wal-mart and the like.  (We own three more shepherds that are not pictured in this 2013 version of our Nativity scene.) 

The wise men are set up afar off, in the eastern direction.  (The Bible outlines three gifts, not necessarily only three wise men.  We imagine an elaborate and ornate caravan coming to find the Christ child.)  And, Jesus is placed in the manger first thing Christmas morning in conjunction with our reading of the Christmas story. 

(You know our Blossoms well if you realize why they are adamant that chickens be in the manger scene.)

I am so thrilled with this new aspect of our season of celebrating.  Blossom2 lovingly crafted an intricate star.  Mommy's job is to remember to move the star to another spot in the house each night.  They scream and squeal in delight when they discover the star sometime the next morning.  Hastily, they journey the wise men to that location. 



On Christmas morning, the star will be over the manger and the wise men will finish their journey at the eastern end of the mantle, symbolizing the wise men coming to the Christ child's side.



It has been such a terrific daily reminder that this season is about Jesus' coming.  And, it vividly illustrates the wise men's earnest seeking of the Christ child.  This new traditiona has been very meaningful for all of us. 

I urge you to construct your traditions around the true meaning of Christmas.