I don’t remember having many family traditions leading up to Christmas. My parents divorced when I was 9, so most of my holiday memories are built around the frustration of traveling between families, and extended families, and step families and trying to fit all the visiting and eating and gift-giving into one or two days, even though it felt more and more like we were bound to the obligation of saying “hi” to everyone in person and missing the point of having any quality time with them.
By the time I was a teenager I created a new path for myself and started singing at church on Christmas Eve and Christmas. It sufficiently broke the schedule so that I couldn’t be expected to attend 6 to 8 Christmas gatherings over two days, and instead, I could have a relaxed Christmas with people later on. Was everyone happy about it? No. Was anyone going to tell me I should skip church? Also no.
This became my new reality for Christmas and has been ever since. I can’t say I call it a tradition, but it is a building block of my expectations around holiday planning.
This Advent we’re focusing on two themes. On Sundays, our theme is Generation to Generation. We’ll explore how generations of tradition lead to the birth of Christ and how generations have continued to mold our faith to this day.
On Wednesdays, our theme is Holy Disruption. Sometimes a break in our pattern or tradition can lead to something new.
I love the “generations” aspect of our Advent worship because in addition to traditions, we acknowledge that other parts of our faith and identity are passed on, not just directly down our lineage, but from various people in our families.
From my family, even though I can’t claim any particular “traditions,” I have very fond memories of making Christmas crafts with my grandma in her craft room in the basement, and hearing stories of my granny playing the organ decades ago at church. Or my great uncle teaching me about our genealogy and how our great great grandfather was a guard to Kaiser Wilhelm before he abdicated the throne in Germany.
These are also memories I wouldn’t have if my holiday time hadn’t been disrupted. If I had been constrained to our rushed Christmas schedule, our time would have been spent with quick hugs and gifts and goodbyes and dashing onto the next place.
What traditions, habits, ideas, memories, or loves has your family passed down to you?
How have your expectations been disrupted to create new paths?
Yours in Christ,
John Johns, Music Director