Traditions

[Disclaimer: This post probably sounds pompus. I do not mean for it to. And I have no problem with people doing their own traditions, whatever they might be. so don't take this the wrong way. It's just about me and my preferences and opinions. And we all know I'm overly opinionated. Please don't be offended!]

There's always a lot of talk about traditions at this time of year. I'm just going to come out with it and say I don't like them.

I do sort of feel like a bad mom when people share these special meaningful things they do at Christmastime, because I don't do a lot of them. My family didn't do a lot of traditions, and I can't actually think of something we did every year, execept for getting a tree and decorating it. Otherwise it was always something different. And I'm OK with it.Realizing that many people hold traditions dearly, I can't really push my opinions off on people. but I've held this in all month, so I just have to get it off my chest. Don't feel like I'm attacking. This is just my personal preference. And honestly, it doesn't even always go the way I want to in this family, because i have a husband who thinks traditions are just IT.

Here's a list of things I don't want to become traditions for us:

1) Caroling. Humiliating.
2) Baking cookies. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, that's what the store is for.
3) Sitting around the Christmastree and reading the Christmas story. I think the kids ought to hear it before Christmas, or else it's too late to distract them from all of the presents.
4) Decorations. I like decorating, but I'm just as happy not to. And I'm OK with switching them out all the time.
5) Presents. I think that we might have some years where we don't do the classic shop around for Christmas and make lists and things. Some year maybe we'll just go on a trip together, or maybe we'll make all of our presents. Or maybe we'll only give presents away and not get any. I don't feel like it's essential to celebrating.
6) Family newsletter. Let's be honest. Sometimes, there just isn't anything interesting to share.
7) Music. AUUUUGH. If you know me much, you know I'm just not a fan of the same old songs that get sung every year. Certain carols, I don't mind hearing once or twice or singing in church. But. I do not want to hear yet another rendition of the SAME song.
8) Birthday party for Jesus. Not to be a jerk or downplay what other families do. We don't call it a birthday because to me it seems trivial. We haven't quite hashed that all out, but I don't like the phrase "birthday". Because Jesus existed in all of eternity. His coming to earth, becoming a person, wasn't so small as a birthday. The entire universe hinged on that moment in time when Jesus became a man. For kids a birthday is sort of an egocentric day in which they're spoiled and get everything they want. Jesus's coming was the opposite. He gave up all of the things that He had and came into the world in a barn with animals. I don't want my kids to mistake His sacrifice for a party. And maybe kids don't understand all of the theology completely, but I think that they get more than we give them credit for.

Now here are some things that I DO want to be part of every Christmas.

1) Snow. (even though I don't get a lot of say in this).
2) Family. Because I love them.
3) lights. I enjoy looking at tacky Christmas lights displayed in town. It's sort of fun. Right now the kids love it too.
4) Music. I'm talking the good kind. Real music. New words, new melodies, timeless truths put to art.
5) Giving. There are so many opportunities that only come at Christmastime. So we take advantage of them.
6) Jesus. Even though we aren't going to make a birthday cake or hide the baby Jesus from the manger scene or open a present for him or anything like that, I want to take time to remember, to reflect on what it means that God became a man. That now he relates with us and understands temptation and fear and pain and suffering. I want to focus on "Immanuel" every year and what "God with us" truly means.He's the reason the angels said "Peace on Earth, Good will to everyone!"

So. That's that. What traditions do you love to do? What ones do you hate? (Hopefully you don't hate me now for undoing traditions!)