Holiday Traditions Keep Joy Alive

Joy and connecting with others are the calling of the season. For our part, we have many holiday traditions that bring us “tidings of comfort and joy” which we believe help keep that joy alive.

(Bill: What did Adam say to Eve on the night before Christmas? He said, “Merry Christmas Eve”)

Decorating on Steroids

Bill: Holiday decorating can be a chore, but we have found a saving method is to have a spontaneous (but craftily planned!) decorating party at the tail end of your Thanksgiving gathering.

Sheri: Just prior to everyone leaving the annual Thanksgiving gathering at our home, I start hauling out boxes of Christmas decorations and seasonal holiday pictures. (As photographers, we change our framed images to match the season). Then armed with a second offering of dessert and coffee, we entice a few family members to join our decorating party.

Bill: This is sort of like Tom Sawyer painting the fence, remember? He made it look important and fun, and soon others were begging him to let them help!

Sheri: Well, sort of….I find a willing young grand kid or great grand kid to help decorate the tree. What would have been a monumental task gets completed in no time at all! Our tree is always decorated beautifully...sometimes I almost think the tree is smiling from all the attention received.

The Family Gathering…A Modern Abacus

During this season of miracles, one marvel is that families with in-laws and outlaws traditionally come together peacefully in one place for a few hours. Invitational planning and genealogy get smushed together. Husbands have their relatives and wives have theirs. Children are often “his, hers, and ours”, creating additional sets of households to be involved. And when the children have children, dust off the abacus! This sort of family action keeps folks like Ancestry.com in business. Musical chairs anyone? Be sure and use holiday music!

The three kings came from “afar”--and no, they were not southern firefighters! Some relatives seem like they came from “afar”. With kids, grandkids and great grandkids ranging in age from 3 months to 53 years old, at least in our family, it seems the greater the age disparity, the further “afar” we all are in lifestyle, expectations, obligations, and different definitions of what is considered cool.

But differences or not, the gathering is like “shake-n-bake” with benefits: just put ‘em all in the same room, have a potluck of tasty food, play silly games, make clever conversation, and tell everyone how much you enjoy seeing them and love them—because you really do!

Whatever you believe in--Christmas, Hanukkah, change of seasons, or the sanctity of family--we wish for you special strength and hope that comes from your belief and traditions, and that it works as a constant in your life for you and your family! God bless us everyone!

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Positively Speaking, “Sheri & Bill...Story Tellers in Word, Image and Song.”

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