A Traditional Post

(husband putting the star on our Christmas tree)

I have always loved traditions. Christmas, college, camp... give me a tradition and I am one happy person. My family for instance has some special Christmas traditions. Here is a small sampling.

1) baking day.

2) putting our Baby's First ornament on the tree.

3) watching Christmas movies together (namely White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life).

I look forward to these every year, no matter how old I am! And now that I have started my own family, we are beginning our own traditions like Jake putting the star on top of the Christmas tree. I can't wait to add to the list for my kids.

Growing up, we looked forward to summer camp for a lot of reasons. No parents, the Blob, bunking with best friends. But most of all we looked forward to the annual pillow fight. It was usually the highlight of camp. In my love for traditions, I stumbled upon the following quote the other day that so accurately describes why traditions are awesome:

"We don't keep traditions, they keep us together."

Yes. Togetherness. Family. Friends that are like family. Something on top of our love for one another to keep us coming back year after year. More than presents or anything else, I look forward to keeping traditions. Not for the sake of tradition, but for the building of memories.

This is (rightly so) reminiscent of our relationship with God and his church. There is everything right about sharing life and traditions with the body of Christ. Not meaningless ritual, because that is religion. But the building of monuments for our remembrance and the next generation's acknowledgement of Someone greater than us. Our need and enjoyment of each other is clearly divine. So don't forget who brought us together in the beginning.

So, go make some new traditions this year. Not just because it's Christmas, but because we are meant to be together. Our hearts are completed in togetherness. And because traditions make that togetherness even more special and fun. Remember Jesus. His birth, life, and death changed the course of history. He makes this season worth celebrating and he makes being together the best way to live.

Merry Christmas!

Abigail