Countdown to Christmas: Day Twenty Four

Family traditions are fun and necessary. Each family has them. They are the cement that keeps the family bonded. We have ours.

Christmas Eve we always have Mexican food, tamales if we can get them. Jon and I will be having Fajitas tonight. We always watch some Christmas movie on Christmas Eve as well. It was usually done after the boys opened their one gift that I got to choose. It was either the movie we would watch that night or PJ's. We go to see Christmas lights. We give to Lottie Moon. We give to others in need. When the boys were younger I made a small stocking for each of the 25 days till Christmas. Jon and I would have fun trying to find little trinkets to put in each stocking for the boys. My Mom started a tradition with the boys when they were born, she gives them the Chocolate Countdown to Christmas. You have seen them, where you open a little door each day and their is a piece of chocolate behind it. The grand babies are now doing the same each year. We make cookies while listening and dancing to Christmas music. I read at sometime during the days before, "The Tale of the Trees." I had the privilege this last Sunday night to share this tradition with the children at church. We drink my semi-homemade Apple Cider. We make Fudge, White Candy and Hard Cinnamon Candy. Christmas morning we always have my semi-homemade Cinnamon Rolls. And always before we open the gifts we read from Luke 2 the Christmas story and then pray a prayer of gratitude for the greatest gift of all, Jesus.

There are more that we do. It is great to see your grown children call from wherever they may be and ask for a recipe or share how they are keeping the traditions going. Ponder the traditions that you have with your family. I hope that of all the traditions I have shared you will add one to your own family. If you don't already read the Christmas story on Christmas Day and have a family prayer, I hope that this year you will.

Make sure that Christ is the Bonding Spirit in all you do at Christmas time and throughout the year.

Merry Christmas

Luke 2:1-20
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [2] This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. [3] So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. [4] Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, [5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. [6] So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. [7] And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
[8] Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. [10] Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. [11] For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

[14] "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

[15] So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." [16] And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. [17] Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. [18] And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. [19] But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. [20] Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.