Holiday Traditions

My oldest son and I have been talking recently about starting some new traditions for the holidays for our family.  Over the last few years we have had many changes in our family.  With my Mom’s passing a year ago, and my Dad's permanent residence in an assisted living home, the tradition of the family gathering at my folk’s place suddenly came to an end.  The family gathering at my wife’s parents has continued, but with the grandparents getting older and the kids married and spread around the country, the atmosphere has dramatically changed for me, especially with the battle for my wife’s health that we are involved with.

When my wife and I were first married we had decided from the very first Christmas that we wanted to start our own family traditions.  We initially received some flak from some of the extended family because of our decision.  Our first step was to celebrate Christmas morning at home alone.  Then after a couple of years of getting sick after Christmas because of all the other gatherings we attended in a two day span, we decided to attend only one dinner and gift opening from each side of the family.

Now with everything going on in our lives, it looks like it is time to make some changes again.  My son and his family would also like to develop some of their own family holiday traditions as well.  We’ve already made some new traditions for Thanksgiving and are looking forward to see what Christmas will look like this year!

If you’re also looking for something different for you and/or your family this year, I may just have something for you!  On December 2nd I will be starting a Christmas Advent Calendar for the four weeks leading up to Christmas 2013 in this blog.  This calendar is something that the Lord put on my heart for last year, and I will be updating it for the new holiday season.  The calendar follows the chronological events of the Christmas story as taken from the Gospels.  Each day there are Bible readings with a devotional based on those verses.  Each post is then concluded with ideas of some practical activities that you and your family can do together to enrich your Christmas celebration this year.

You can print out each day’s post to read around the table, or gather around the tree with your laptop to experience the daily event.  Who knows… it could be the start of a whole new holiday tradition for you!  If this sounds interesting, then go ahead and mark it on your calendars right now… before they get too busy with holiday activities!

Have a great day today.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting TO DO – This Holiday Season?”