Wordfull Wednesday - Christmas Traditions

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.

I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."

Warning:

If memory serves me well, this is the longest post I have ever written.  It is for Wordfull Wednesday but it has a long preface.  Wordfull Wednesday is to write about a (or more) family Christmas tradition (s). 

I started thinking about Christmas traditions and this whole post just fell out of my head (and my heart).

So if you would like to skip the preface...just scroll down to the Wordfull Wednesday logo and start reading my original WW post at that point. 

PREFACE:

A couple of weeks ago I was laid low by an uninvited virus. It was fast moving, but deadly! Every muscle in my body was injured. I mean, it hurt to curl my toes! As I lay in bed, trying to keep my head from falling off, I needed a distraction as I drifted in and out of a fitful sleep. I asked for the iPod to be turned to the Christmas list. As Bing and Andy and other dear friends crooned, the sweetest scenes started to play out in my mind's eye. Every good and cheerful Christmas memory I think I've ever made, filled my heart. The music played for hours and I let it wrap me up in a huge, warm blanket. 

I rested. 

(I have previously devoted entire posts to Christmas music - here and here for example.)

Recently, I have read and heard many thoughts on the "War on Christmas". I don't think anyone can argue the impossibility of stepping one foot out their front door, without being assaulted with the commercialization of Christmas or, on the other hand, someone trying to obliterate it. I agree that many hearts are completely void of the Christmas spirit and have become hardened and cold in it's absence.

Having said that, however, I have also seen several families, in my (very) humble opinion, who are throwing the baby out with the bathwater, almost letting the pendulum swing too far the other direction. I feel like there may be a different war brewing out there.  "To gift or not to gift - that is the question!" :)

I see some supposing a "higher Christmas ground" than the rest of us mere mortals who celebrate the season in "traditional" ways. Personally, I fail to see that traditional Christmas traditions and gift giving are inherently bad – which is what I've seen gently, and not so gently, suggested. In fact, I would politely argue that these traditions can, depending on the individual heart, increase our true joy and happiness at this time of year. I would even go so far as to say, they can bring us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, if our hearts have pure intent.

Pres. Thomas S. Monson – (and who, please tell me, loves Christmas more than President Monson?) - said,

This is a glorious time of the year, simple in origin, deep in meaning, beautiful in tradition and custom, rich in memories, and charitable in spirit. It has an attraction to which our hearts are readily drawn. This joyful season brings to each of us a measure of happiness that corresponds to the degree in which we have turned our mind, feelings, and actions to the spirit of Christmas. (emphasis mine)

That says to me…if you dread Christmas…or you buckle to false pressures of performance, your mind, feelings and actions may not be in the right spot. He said our joy during this season is measured by the degree we turn to the spirit of Christmas.   

Here are some of my feelings on the very "traditional" ways I turn myself  to the spirit of Christmas.
They may or may not look like your ways.  And, thankfully, it is not an all inclusive list.  It is, however, some of the traditions I have seen on the blacklists lately.

I give neighbor treats. I grew up in a neighborhood of homemade bread, homemade jam, hot homemade cinnamon rolls, wicked good homemade caramel popcorn, and the like. Giving homemade Christmas goodness may not be your thing, but it is mine. Sugar cookies are on the agenda for this year.

I love to get and send Christmas cards. LOVE IT. I am not on Facebook. My blog is very low-key. And I love the opportunity to reach out to friends and neighbors, that I cannot visit with frequently, to wish them all the blessings of the season. Now…if Christmas card writing to you is to "compare and contrast"…who has the cutest card, who has the cutest matching outfits, how many cruises you squeezed in this year…or if it's too much effort, with little or no reward, in any other way - Christmas cards are probably a stress to you. Quit doing them if they are robbing you of your Christmas spirit.  For me, USPS is my friend.

I love to make gifts and I love to shop for gifts – all year round. This should not be confused with thinking I live for shopping, am neck high in debt or trample my fellowmen. I know who I gift each year and I love keeping them in my heart, thinking of them, finding or making something meaningful to them – to let them know I care and I'm thankful to have them in my life. If that's not how gift-giving feels for you, maybe it's best that you do dispense with gift-giving.

I believe in Santa, you might say. He is not a replacement or symbol of Christ to me. He is what he is and I have no problem listening for sleigh bells in the night sky every Christmas Eve. I don't find his legend, myth, whatever…inherently bad, nor do I find him to be a "lie". I don't have a single Santa decoration but it was a proud moment in my young life when I could recite the entire "T'was the Night Before Christmas" by heart. G.K. Chesterton wrote "Fairy tales are important not because they teach us that dragons are real, but because they teach us that dragons can be beaten." The ideals of Santa are loftier than the commercialization he too has suffered.

I had a woman tell me one time…"Santa only delivers the "little" presents at our house. There's NO WAY I'd let him get credit for all the good, big stuff. If my kids are going to be loving and thanking someone for giving them presents, it's going to be me." Well all-righty! I'm thinking the Christmas spirit has already left the building there. If you are competing with Santa for your children's affection,  Santa's probably not for you.

On the other hand, Elder Thomas S. Monson shared this perspective:

Some years ago as I heard my little son recite what he thought was a new poem, I was reminded that this was the Christmas season. “Daddy, I’ve learned a new poem,” he said, “and I’d like to teach it to you. I know you’ll like it.” He then recited: ’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. He finished and said, “Isn’t that a wonderful poem, Daddy?”

I had an opportunity to tell him it was a wonderful poem, because almost everything that I associate with Christmas is important to me.

Just a couple of weeks before, I had had the privilege of taking my family downtown as Santa Claus made his appearance. It was interesting. Crowds gathered. One little girl had been standing on the side of the curb for what seemed to her like many minutes, waiting for this cherished event. Just as Santa Claus was to make his entry, great throngs of people crowded in front of her, blocking her view, and she began to cry.

A six-foot-three man who stood by her asked, “What’s the matter, dear?”

She said, “I have been waiting to see Santa, and now I can’t see him.”

He picked her up and placed her on his shoulders, providing her a commanding view. As Santa Claus came by, she waved her little hand toward him. He smiled and waved back to her and to everyone else in the crowd. The little girl grabbed the hair of that big fellow and exclaimed, “He saw me! He saw me and smiled at me! I’m so glad it’s Christmas!”

That little girl had the Christmas spirit.

I love traditional Christmas decor, especially the lights. It probably goes without saying that too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing. More isn't always better, sometimes it's just more.  However, if you have never had the experience of walking through Temple Square, simply plastered in Christmas lights with the Tabernacle Choir singing over the cold winter air, you have missed out.

Of all holidays there is none that enters so fully into the human heart, and stirs so many of the higher sentiments. The thoughts, memories, hopes, and customs linked with it are bound by antiquity and nationality collectively; and by childhood and old age individually. They embrace the religious, social, and patriotic sides of our nature. The holly and mistletoe entwined among the evergreens, the habit of giving gifts to those we love, the presence of the Christmas tree, the superstition of Santa Claus, all combining to make Christmas the most longed-for, the most universal, and from every standpoint, the most important holiday known to man [Clarence Baird, “The Spirit of Christmas,” Improvement Era, Dec. 1919, 154].

Okay…so I've talked about the things that help me keep the Christmas spirit. Here's a couple of things that drive it from me.

• $100+ Nativity costume sets.
• "Happy Birthday Jesus" themes.
• Nativities on the lawn of homes blaring a "Wizards in Winter" light display.

And "Santa Baby", "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time".  But let's not go there.

The bottom line is:

Christmas is what we make of it. Despite all the distractions, we can see to it that Christ is at the center of our celebration. If we have not already done so, we can establish Christmas traditions for ourselves and for our families which will help us capture and keep the spirit of Christ. (President Thomas S. Monson)

If you would like to read more about the Christmas spirit I really enjoyed these particular articles:
• The Real Christmas
• The Spirit of Christmas
• Christmas Traditions of the Seventy
and Giving With Joy

And now…for my original Wordfull Wednesday on one of our family traditions:

I chose to write about the very first holiday tradition Mr. Thornton and I established in our family.

We were married in December and we honeymooned in Disneyland.  We bought a little ornament as a momento of our vacation.  When it was time to trim the Christmas tree, we chose not to invest in a bunch of ornaments.  We decided to build our Christmas tree, year by year, memory by memory, family member by new family member. 

We wanted to be able to celebrate the birth of Christ but purchasing a nativity was a little out of our newlywed budget, so we bought one more ornament for that first Christmas together.  It is a little, inexpensive gold cut-out nativity.  It has been our tree-topper for 20 years.

Each year, every family member gets a new ornament, commemorating something eventful in their year or simply reflecting who they are as a person.  Over the years, the tree has become heavy laden with all kinds of ornaments and beautiful trinkets.  Finding that special ornament while on a family vacation is a favorite pursuit. 

It has been a ton of work I never imagined.  Protecting one-of-a-kind ornaments for 20 years is a bit of a challenge.  Original packing and boxes have been lovingly preserved and carefully hauled cross country and back - several times.  But it is sooo worth it!

Decorating the Christmas tree is precious time to our family.  As each ornament is unpacked, we are reminded of good family times and the Lord's continued blessings.  We are easily thankful for the bounties of goodness He has seen fit to bless us with.  Even in our odd, current circumstances the ornaments swell our hearts with gladness in the Lord.  This year, as I was working on the ornaments, Tim's eyes welled up with tears.

"What's wrong bud?" I asked.

"Oh...we just have such a good life Mom.  I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father for all our good memories."

And that's when the hours of packing and protection melt away and the true Christmas Spirit fills my heart.  Because Tim is absolutely right.  Looking at our ornaments through untrained eyes one might simple see a hodge-podge.  I see blessings unmeasured.  The tree is right at my side as I write and from my vantage point I see:

• the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, commemorated
• Family trips:  Colorado, San Diego, Kansas, Chicago, Seattle, Disneyland, Maine, Washington D.C., Virginia, Niagara Falls, Vermont, Rhode Island, Concord, MA
• the Halifax, Nova Scotia temple dedication
• the birth of each of our children
• talents developed: crocheting, woodworking, scouting with dad, baseball
• Homes: Utah, Naperville, Connecticut
• challenges: cancer

Here's a couple of mosaics displaying our beginnings and our newest additions.

This first one displays our "firsts".  Our first Disneyland ornament, our nativity ornament, and then the kids first Christmases:  Nancy's ceramic ballet shoes, Mandy's lullabying chipmunks, David's a sleepy bear on the moon, Molly's Waterford ornament from Ireland (yes, some of you will catch the idea of that one) and Tim's little Lenox train.

This second mosaic is the ornaments from this year:  Tim's trip to southern California with Dad, Molly's final goodbye to Moody's in Waldoboro, Maine, David's Christmas Countdown (I thought I loved Christmas...but this boy may have me beat.  The music, the traditions, the Spirit and feeling...he loves it all!  And it's Snoopy - what a bonus.), Mandy's puffy owl and Nancy's stocking reminding her to "Believe" - in herself and her Heavenly Father.  The last 2 are from Mr. Thornton and I to each other.  We exchanged ornaments for our 20th wedding anniversary. 

So there's one of our traditions. 

A fun one to write about and talk about.

Mr. Thornton and I were talking the other day about how empty the tree will be when the children start to leave home and take their ornaments with them.  I slyly smiled and said, "I'll just have to start collecting for the grandbabies."  :)

As always, you are welcome to join in Wordfull Wednesday by clicking here.

Or you can just drop in on Cocoa to wish her a Merry Christmas!