What is your "must list" for Christmas, or your Christmas traditions?  I am willing to guess that most all of us have some sort of Christmas tradition.  A tradition that is up held every year, if for no other reason then because you have done it for the past __ years.  Growing up at home we did the main Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve.  We would always start the festivities with supper.  We would always have the choice between two kinds of soup (this is a decision that I contemplated all year).  Clam chowder or Oyster soup?  Which one should I pick?  Which one is worse, is the real question!  But our soup supper is still a part of the Smith tradition, and it would be missed if it was gone.  The dinner also includes Mom's infamous oatmeal buns (this is what I filled up on).  The Christmas Eve traditions continue with reading the Christmas story from the Bible and opening Christmas presents.  We would typically open gifts from the youngest to oldest.  This was the only time of the year when I was glad to be the youngest Smith.  This is the way Christmas Eve was done every year in our house.  We wouldn't want to do it any other way. 

As Elizabeth and I have started our own family unit, we have sought to begin our own family tradition over the six years we have been married.  We decided to read a different Christmas themed story each night leading up to Christmas.  Each year we expand our story collection.  This year we purchased a copy of "Twas the Night Before Christmas."  If you have any books you might recommend, we would be very interested to hear them!  Another tradition of ours is decorating our house for Christmas on "Black Friday".  Better to stay in and do that then go out in the shopping crowds!  Each year we purchase a Christmas candle that we burn all through the season.  Since the beginning, we have wrapped all our presents in the same kind of wrapping paper, not sure how this became a tradition, but it is always a big decision on what paper we pick out.  Most importantly, we remind ourselves of the true meaning of Christmas all season long, but especially on Christmas morning when we read Luke 1 & 2, telling of the birth of Jesus Christ - the Messiah.  Who was born in a stable to give hope, to give life - true life!  We do this just before we open our gifts that have been placed beneath the tree.

We have thought a lot about Christmas traditions this year as we celebrate our first Christmas in our 5th-wheel trailer, with our newly expanded family: Judah's first Christmas.  As we decorated in a new way (ornaments hanging from garland on the walls (instead of a tree), putting up a Christmas tree outside), it has caused us to even more consider the real meaning of Christmas: Jesus.  We have also pondered new mysteries such as, where to put the presents if not under a tree?  Still haven't figured that one out.  Good thing Judah is still young enough to not get into the wrapped presents currently sitting under our kitchen table.  We'll see what happens next year.

We pray you all are experiencing a wonderful Christmas season so far!  As you participate in your family's annual Christmas traditions, remember the reason behind each one (if there is one) and remember, most of all, the reason that we celebrate Christmas in the first place!

Merry Christmas,
Andy (for us all)