Christmas Memories

Christmas is many things to many people. I think that a lot of our thoughts and feelings about Christmas are influenced by the traditions that we were submerged in throughout our lives. Whether we continue those traditions or whether we have decided to make new traditions, I think that what we have experienced really does leave it's mark upon our current lives.

As I think about my "Christmas' Past" a few things come to mind. Some of my favorites are spending Christmas Eve at my Grandma Jacobi's house drinking kiddie cocktails (Shirley Temples) in my Grandpa's basement bar and singing Christmas carols with the whole Jacobi clan while my Grandma played the organ. They kept their basement decorated year round for Christmas but it always seemed magical to be down there on Christmas Eve, eating treats and feeling loved by my Grandparents. Since getting married, we have the tradition of spending Christmas day at Ry's parent's house laughing with family and eating ham, potato salad, (watching others eat baked beans) and lots and lots of black olives. It's always so wonderful to be with our family on that special day. I remember the Christmas when I was pregnant with Aaron, when I had such a craving for oranges that I kept eating my mom-in-laws stash of oranges that she had set aside for putting in the toes of the stockings. I remember another one of our early years after we were married, listening to Ryan's dad read an Advent story each evening leading up to Christmas and feeling sad whenever we weren't there to hear it because it was so exciting. I also think of the first year when Ryan, I and the boys did our first Advent Calendar as a family. It was Noelle Piper's and after about the 6th day of repeating the story and adding a new element; the boys had it memorized and would repeat it together. They've gotten older now and we've passed that wonderful Advent Calendar on to a family with little ones to be blessed by it.

Traditions are not so traditional in our household. We are sporadic in our festivities. This year we don't have a tree or an Advent Calendar. In fact the only Christmas decoration that we have is a beautiful Willow Tree Nativity that my mom bought for me as a gift. We haven't baked cookies, done much Christmas shopping, gone caroling or drank any eggnog (thankfully). But we still have Jesus. We still sing Christmas songs with joyful celebration of the Humility of Christ in leaving the glories of Heaven to be born as a babe. We still praise God that Jesus is Immanuel: God with us. We still look with faith filled expectation to the future day when we will celebrate the day of Christ's birth in His presence. And so we rejoice. We don't need a tree or a fancy meal or even a wonderful family to gather together with. There are Christians locked in cold jail cells right now suffering for the love of Jesus, but they have just as much to celebrate and someday we'll celebrate together... and all to the praise of the glory of His grace. So it is Christmas because of Jesus... and because of Jesus we have much to celebrate. May this be our true Christmas celebration!

Happy Christmas Everyone.