A Season Not Only of Rejoicing But of Reflection

The older I get, the more I find myself reflecting back on the Christmases of my childhood. Year after year the Christmas traditions of the past become more and more precious. There is hardly no other time of the year that evokes more tradition. 

• decorating a tree
• special advent calendars
• filling shoeboxes with treasures for children in need
• baking Christmas cookies or making a gingerbread house
• Christmas movie night
• caroling and hot cocoa
• driving around looking at Christmas lights
• hometown Christmas parades and tree lightings

​Your family most likely participates in one or more of these.

As long as I can recall, our family has made a tradition of including others, outside our family circle, at our Christmas Day dinner. I remember growing up, for years there was an older lady my parents knew from their school years that would spend the Christmas holidays with us. More recently it's been a father and four children who lost their wife and mother a few years ago. These guests have been more of a blessing to us than we could ever be to them. But isn't this what Christmas is all about, being a blessing to others and in turn being blessed yourself? 

Another Christmas tradition we share as a family is our annual Christmas cookie bakeoff day. I have two daughters and two daughters-in-love. We all get together at my mom's house on a Saturday in December each year for a cookie bakeoff day. When the day is over we divide up the home baked goodies between us. Many of them end up going to friends as we share our love and celebrate the season with them. 

There are many traditions that cause me to reflect back to my childhood. The star that topped the tree when I was growing up now tops a tree in our home. A beautiful, lighted church with stained glass windows will be on display at my parent's home this year. It's been a part of Christmas as long as I can remember. On Christmas day I'll wind it up and listen to the Christmas carol, and reflect.   

​I asked my adult children about their favorite Christmas traditions. Reflecting back on their childhood, as I did on mine, they recalled several.

• a special advent calendar
• Christmas movie night
• handmade stockings
• scavenger hunts to find the presents

"Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection." - Winston Churchill

​What is it about childhood that makes Christmas so special? What makes it such a joyous occasion that we carry the memories into adulthood and reflect back on them? What are the Christmas traditions you reflect back on? Let us know in the comments.

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​We have some gorgeous Christmas pins on our Pinterest Christmas board. Dozens of them for you to choose from and share this season with your friends. Please feel free to share and be an encourager. Merry Christmas!