Christmas Traditions That Draw Us Closer to God

Christmas time is here.  Happiness and cheer.  Fun for all that children call their favorite time of year.  Christmas is filled with activities and traditions.  Did that first line remind you of A Charlie Brown Christmas?  Do you watch it or Elf or It’s a Wonderful Life every year?  Do you attend Christmas Eve services as a family?  Do you read the Christmas story before opening gifts?  Do you go and look at Christmas lights?  Do you make a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus?  Is Christmas more about getting gifts or spending time with family, or rejoicing in the greatest gift of all - Jesus? 

This week my second oldest son, daughter-in-law, and two of my grandkids came over for the evening.  As we were talking over dinner, Debbie mentioned something a question that came up in her Sunday School class.  I think the question is quite thought-provoking.  It is, ‘What traditions or activities do you do during Christmas or leading up to Christmas that you feel closer to God doing them?’ 

We do so many things out of tradition at Christmas.  Tradition isn’t bad.  Tradition is repeated because it relates to something important to us.  However, if we just keep the tradition because we have done it before, it will lose its meaning to our lives.  Take time this year to look at your traditions and activities, remember why that tradition was started and tell the story with your family and friends.  Evaluate your traditions.  Why do you keep those traditions?  Ask yourself, do the traditions and activities you do during Christmas or leading up to Christmas draw you closer to God?  And also ask yourself are there any new traditions you need to start in order to be closer to God?  May you have a blessed Merry Christmas!

Grace and Peace
Brian Frank