Holiday Traditions

I'm including some Christmas/holiday traditions here. If you have one that I can include, email it to me at the address on this page.

Christmas Musicals

When I was a teenager, I acted in several of the Christmas plays at our church. One of my favorites was a story called "I Was A Teenaged Christmas Tree." It was about a group of teenagers who are snowed in at a bus station as they try to return home from a trip. In the spirit of the holidays, they dress up one of their friends as a Christmas tree. (Well, they didn't have one.) Finally they realize that Christmas is about more than decorations and getting gifts: it's about The Gift.

Another play that I remember told the story of the Dead Shepherds, a fictional musical band from the time when Christ was born. At first the band's songs were literally about "nothing." Then, they find the baby Jesus - after the angels tell them of his birth - and they really have something to sing about! Even now, my sister and I will often mention a song that we're hearing on the radio is about "nothing."

Ready for our close-ups

Several years ago, I bought a video camera that is basically for children; it was very inexpensive, it tapes in black and white, and it has to be hooked to a VCR to record. I bought it to practice for job interviews, but I have mainly used it to tape our family as we open our Christmas gifts on Christmas day. I really enjoy watching those videos.

Below are some nice traditions that I found on the Internet.

Jesus' Birthday Cake

Each Christmas Eve, my children and I make and bake a birthday cake for Baby Jesus. It isn't fancy, and we use a cake mix and frosting, but we always have one candle, and we write 'Happy Birthday Jesus' on it. We sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and the youngest member of the family gets to blow out the candle. It helps us remember why we celebrate Christmas.

Family Goals and a gift to Jesus

Each Christmas Eve we sit down as a family and write out (younger children draw) what we will do as a gift for Jesus for the coming year. It could be "I will read my scriptures every day", or "I will try not to fight with my brothers." Each person writes down something they need to work to improve themselves, and thus, act better for Jesus. We put the papers with the goals in an envelope and place it under the Christmas Tree. That is the first 'present' we open on Christmas Morning.

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