One Christmas Tradition That Stands Past, Present & Future

{One of the things I love about the Christmas season is "sharing". Truth be told, I was not going to attempt another blog post until after Christmas. However, I was asked to write a post about Christmas traditions from a nice person at Patience Brewster, a designer of unique gifts & Christmas ornaments.
So, I hope my readers cherish your Christmas traditions as much as I do. And may YOU be inspired to "share" at this time of the year and always. God bless, my friends ...}


This time of the year finds many of us reflecting on childhood Christmas traditions as well as those throughout our adulthood.  Now that I'm a Granny, the Christmas season comes faster & faster.  It seems not very long ago that we took this picture ...

 

Christmas 2013 with Lucy & Tag

 

 

Nor that long ago when this happened on Christmas Eve ...

 

Jacqueline & 'Joes wedding Christmas Eve 2005

 

 

And one of my favorite Christmas pictures from 1988 when "what God had joined together" was holding steadfast to the baby of Hope

for restoration and redemption ...

 

 

Seems like in just mere blinks ...

years pass by ...

and we long to hold on to at least a few childhood traditions.

 

My childhood Christmas memories always mesh Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  For many years, my parents & I lived with my Granny and my Mother's youngest sister.  My aunts, uncles and cousins lived within a short walking distance on my Granny's homestead.  One of my Mother's sisters and her family lived away for many years, but always was home for Christmas. And so ...

Christmas Eve would have us all at Granny's house enjoying our Christmas Eve party ... sandwiches, chips, homemade desserts ---

and my Mother's punch. 

{Here's a pic of her punchbowl -- a baby gift from her boss to honor her first born ... me}

 

 

It's over 50 years old and has seen many Christmas Eve parties of my own family as well as other special occasions.  It will be passed down through my generations for years to come with many stories yet to tell and parties yet to hold their family punch. 

 

This year as Lucy & Tag were helping us decorate our tree and their special trees (pink for Lucy when she was born and blue for Tag on his first Christmas) ... they both gravitated to a special ornament that hung on our traditional tree.  Lucy found her Momma's "St. Nick" storybook ornament from 1990 given by Lucy's great-grandparents & great-aunt.  And Tag found his Momma's wooden airplane from my parents as well when she was probably around a year or so old.

 

 

But, as much as "traditions" surround us and consume us during this time of the year ... the one tradition that gives us the motivation to withstand the preparations and the endless lines and the non-stop excitement of precious little ones is simply the tradition of

 

relationships

 

From the little girl surrounded by her family not only on Christmas Eve ...

not only on Christmas Day ...

not only every holiday of every year ...

but every single day. 

Most of us lived in our little "holler" and was with each other everyday. Yet, every Christmas Eve and every Christmas Day found all of us gathered at our Granny's house.

Presents simply did not matter to us ... we had each other. 

Laughter ... excitement ... family 

 

Christmas Past has ushered in each Christmas Present in which old traditions may very well still exist, yet some traditions are simply memories.

And Christmas Present provides the grooming of new traditions mixing with some of the old to pave the way for Christmas Futures to take hold of the reins for generations that will follow us.

 

The tradition that's stood the test of time and

will in our household for generations to come ...

 

is the anticipation of the little baby of Hope ...

whose little arms one day would spread open to save the lost mankind

whose little feet would be nailed in wood to pay the ultimate price for our sin 

whose little voice one day would welcome His Father's children to their eternal Home

 

 

 

As today gives way to Christmas Eve in just a few short hours, may you treasure this little baby of Hope in your Christmas Past traditions

and open your hearts to Him in this Christmas Present

as your Christmas Futures see Him through you for generations that follow.

 

 

 

Merry Christmas my dear friends ...

May God continue to bless you & your families throughout the New Year.