Christmas traditions.

[Guest st*****ens**ors]

This only has two more nights before it'll be a dead thread, so let me preface it.

 

Thank you to the gentlemen of Lyla who have been kind enough to welcome me to the list.

 

And thank you doubly to the ladies of Lyla whose cleverness, thoughtfulness and compassion never cease to amaze me. You make the world more beautiful.

 

I wish you all joy in the holiday season. I hope you are warm and safe and happy. I hope the year ahead holds adventures and quiet moments, abundance and generosity.

 

I hope that you are touched with grace, and that you touch others with the same grace as often as possible.

 

Ok. To the point. What Christmas traditions do you have in your own household? Here we open stockings before breakfast and presents after, and Carol at seniors' residences in the afternoon

What are your Christmas traditions?

[Katherine of Halifax 113932]

I was brought up in a Christion home. I not longer practice their particular beliefs but feel congruent with lots of doctrine.

I will be home for our large Christmas Eve Celebration . In out tradition it was the time our saviour was born and what a celebration this was.

I remove myself from that while keeping an open mind for all faiths and traditions .

Religion aside. My always favourite tradition is a huge family meal that needs two or more tables .

Every year I am more thankful for those that gather . My family is showing their age and I never know if next year one precious soul will have transitioned.

 

This year I will enjoy and appreciate every person at my family table . I will pray a prayer of gratitude.

[Triple HHH 12345]

I enjoy Midnight Mass as a family its touching, on Christmas Day its a huge

family get together that is priceless, as Katherine mentioned you have to

appreaciate it, a lot can change in a year.

[Ice4fun 78396]

All my Christmas traditions revolve around Family and those people in my life that I truly care about... each year I do my very best to try and make a real impact in their lives so that Christmas can be a wonderful time in their lives.

 

As Katherine referenced time marches on and for me like everyone else this means that we no longer have the blessing of having all the people love or care about in our lives.... of course Christmas allows us the wonderful memories of times past where we spent amazing times in their company but for many like myself wonderful memories are often accompanied by the overwhelming pain we feel because of their loss... the things in life that can bring you the greatest pleasure can also cause you the greatest difficulty... each christmas we light a special candle on our table at all family events in memory of family who are no longer with is physically but remain part of who we are.

 

While all that is true...life does continue so I continue all the traditions... the amazing food that in my family are associated with christmas... Christmas Eve family service with all the so well known caroling...driving around the city to see all the amazing house lights... visiting Signal Hill to see the Christmas Star placed there each year and visible all across St. John's... taking gifts and food hampers to one or two families...reading a Christmas book with my family on Christmas eve (something we started when they were young but continue as adults)... sharing family meals with a large extended family almost every night over Christmas..

 

For those who I care about but don't get to see over Christmas I always try to connect in some way... maybe a call, text or email on Christmas Day and for those who are not with me anymore I always make time between Christmas and New Years to visit their gravesite and share a few words with them and for one family member I make a post on their facebook page that continues long after their passing... seems right it was how they communicated with the world.

 

So Christmas in my household is full of amazing traditions... boxes and boxes of family decorations that have been passed on from parents and grandparents.. it's full of Christmas smells and tastes and more amazing memories than any one person could ask for..

 

My wish to all of you is that your Christmas will contain the feeling of love and happiness that I have shared with my family and loved ones for so many years... Merry Christmas everyone.