Whimsical Traditions
“Mom, Julie won’t believe me! She says that Santa is real and he wears blue!” shouted my seven year old son, Jon. This was a conversation I never could have imagined.
I was desperately trying not to laugh while explaining that “four year olds don’t always know everything seven year olds know.” But I was also somewhat distracted. I was trying to picture Santa in blue, and only coming up with Elvis crooning Blue Christmas.
“Mom, Mom? You know Santa doesn’t wear blue; tell her!” I assured him I would take care of it and off he ran. Julie climbed up and snuggled tightly into my arms while I once again told her our story of St. Nicholas. I really thought the issue was settled.
The very next Wednesday we were eating supper at KFC when my daughter screamed. I swung around in horror and shock, expecting some terrible event. Instead of fear or pain, Julie’s face was a picture of utter delight. Her gaze swung to me and her expression changed from rapture to total disdain. With her little arm raised and finger pointing, she accused, “I told you Santa wears blue!” We all turned and stared. After several seconds, I realized my mouth had actually dropped open. Sitting across the room was an older, white bearded gentleman, with “a broad face and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.” He was smiling at us as we gaped in astonishment. I didn’t know what to say. He was the perfect image of Santa in a bright blue plaid flannel shirt. Julie spent the rest of the meal alternately glaring at me and smiling at Santa. Blue Santas will now be a tradition at our house. This is one way truly great family traditions begin, unexpectedly, simply and wonderfully.
Starting Over
Family traditions are funny things; some are unexpected, others grow on us or come to us from the past. One frosty December evening, after our children were tucked in bed, Norm and I sat contentedly near the wood stove. We put on a Christmas CD and began talking about our favorite memories of Christmas from so long ago. My husband and I hadn’t celebrated Christmas since we were children, and we had a unique opportunity to begin with a fresh slate. Sipping spiced tea and munching oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, we quietly shared a few special memories, talked about some unique traditions we had heard or read, and in that quiet evening discovered a Christmas all our own.
That night, we both agreed that we did not want our holiday to feel rushed, commercialized, and canned. We needed a holiday with meaning and joy. While mountains of presents might be fun for a few moments, if all Christmas was to become was a tree and gifts, we would gladly pass. We knew we didn’t want the season to be one of endless running and stress-filled days. But how could we achieve this goal?
Memories of Childhood
First, we looked to the simple things we loved about Christmas as children. We were delighted to find that it wasn’t the presents, nor was it even the food. My husband’s favorite memory is watching A Charlie Brown Christmas each year. He still remembers mouthing along with Linus as he quoted the Christmas story. Last year he was delighted to see the program with his children. My favorite memory was the Christmas story told on Christmas Eve by my grandpa.
I can hear his deep soothing voice even now. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.” I snuggled closer to my mom and listened to the words of the Story, straight from Gospel of Luke. Silently we all mouthed the words together. By the age of four, every child in our family could whisper along, word perfect. Each Christmas Eve, the pine scented air, the crackling fire, and the age-old words all combined to create something special, something almost divine. “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” Slowly, Grandpa closed the Book and began to talk to His Father. I never knew a man who conversed with God like Grandpa did. I would always sneak a peak to see if Jesus had arrived in person, as I was sure He was going answer back. After the “Amen,” Grandpa quietly pulled the nearest child close and began the “talk.” “Do you know what was the most special gift ever given?” By now we all knew the answer, but we loved to hear Grandpa tell us anyway. “The greatest gift ever given was the gift God gave the world in His Son Jesus Christ. To remind you of this gift, we have a special gift for you. Do you think you can find it?” Of course we could find the gift!
Grandpa was not only deeply spiritual, but he was also a child in a size 46 jumpsuit. During that day, he had helped each child to find her gift and pretended it was a secret. Grandma had bustled around, scolding, “France, don’t you dare tell that child what she got. You know I want the D - O - L - L to be a surprise!” “Susie,” Grandpa had teased me the year I was ten, “ I am sure glad you don’t know how to spell yet, or you would know Grandma is giving you a d- o - l - l.” Then he had laughed, a deep laugh that started in his stomach and threw his head back and roared around the room. Years later, the last time I saw him, he was teasing me again. As he walked through the door, he threw his head back and left laughing. That night, on an evening just before Christmas, he went home to talk in person with the greatest Gift.
My own parents had continued this tradition for giving gifts. This was one tradition I wanted to share with my children. I wanted them to feel a connection to the past and the Divine, through their father, my father, and my grandfather to the Father we love.
Finding New Favorites
Next, our family added a few new traditions. One of our new favorites is a Jesse Tree. Jesse Trees have been used for centuries to tell the story of the Bible. Traditionally, Jesse trees were used in churches. Beginning with Creation and continuing to the Birth of Christ, handmade ornaments were added to a branch to illustrate each story. We wondered if we could find a story we loved and illustrate it with ornaments each evening in the same way.
I found the perfect book for us in Katherine Bell’s Jonathan’s Journey, a wonderful story of a small boy with cerebral palsy. Two years ago, my children and I made ornaments to go with each section of Mrs. Bell’s book. Each evening beginning two weeks before Christmas, we gather together as I read the story of how Jesus came in the night to take Jonathan on a journey through time. During some parts of the book I have to work to control my tears long enough to finish reading. I tell my children that the tears are not sadness, but wonder and beauty seeping out. I can feel the joy, pain and gift of loving a handicapped child, when I read how Jesus tenderly tells Jonathan, “‘I knew when I made you that you would not be able to do these things - I never intended you to do them. For you, most things that people do are not important at all.’”* Last Christmas, my daughter handed me a tissue she had tucked away. “I knew tonight was this part. You always cry.” How did this eleven-year-old get to be so intuitive?
Finishing Touches
To finish off our Christmas celebration, we made decorations and handcrafted gifts. One December afternoon, my girls and I tried to copy window wreaths from a magazine picture. Theirs were picture perfect. Ours were, well, festive? Our wreaths are simple circles of purchased fake pine, on which we add homemade gingerbread man ornaments, gold jingle bells, pine cones, strings of red beads, and maroon bows. The gingerbread men aren’t perfect, several are even missing various limbs, and one ended up with a crooked head, but they add just the right touch of homey fun. Our holiday table is like the rest of our Christmas, we kept all of our favorite traditional foods along with one or two delicious new recipes. Come for Christmas dinner, and you can sample our new favorite dish, Apricot Nut Streusel Stuffed Pumpkin Rolls. My father-in-law ate twelve last holiday! We wanted to share our holiday with friends and neighbors and have given Christmas in a Jar or gift baskets filled with homemade candy, cookies, muffins, and a Christmas CD to those near and dear.
Creating Your Own Christmas
You can create a stress-free, memorable Christmas for your family. This holiday, remember those special traditions, so deeply personal and often whimsical, that left their print on your heart. Some winter evening, sit back, snuggle up in your favorite quilt, make a pot of Christmas tea, and think back to your childhood. Aside from the presents, what did you enjoy the most about Christmas? Was it a special food you only had that one time a year? Was it the way your grandmother’s house smelled on Christmas morning? Was it roasting marshmallows in the fireplace at Great-Grandma’s house while she used an old-fashioned popcorn popper to make the best popcorn you ever tasted? Was it bundling up and trudging through snow to sing Christmas carols to shut-ins? Then bring one or two of those special times forward and share them with those you love this holiday.
Next, create your own new traditions. Our Christmas can’t be yours, but any family’s holiday can be special. Take time this Christmas season to slow down just a bit and think about what you really enjoy about Christmas. Let me suggest that you continue holding those traditions you love dear but leave out those things that fill your holiday with stress. You can find many ideas online, in books, or in magazines. Watch for ideas that add meaning and magic to the season and can become lasting family memories. You may find it helpful to visit your local library or take a look at one or more of the resources listed below.
Combining childhood memories and new traditions can help make your holiday a joy filled season of celebration.
Apricot Nut Streusel Pumpkin Rolls
Pumpkin Bread
4 1/2 to 5 cups flour
1 pkg. yeast
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 t. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. flour and yeast. Set aside. In a pan, heat, just until warm; milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt/ Add milk mixture to dry ingredients along with the beaten egg. Beat 30 seconds on low, 3 minutes on high.
Stir in pumpkin. Using a heavy spoon, stir in additional flour.
Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead 6-8 minutes. Shape into ball. Place in a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, punch dough down. Divide in half, rest 10 minutes.
Streusel Filling
Stir together
2/3 cup chopped nuts
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. snipped dried apricots
Add 1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 t. maple flavoring
Divide into 16 rolls. Work into flat pancake shape about 1/4 inch thick. Place 1 spoonful of streusel in the middle. Place in greased pan and allow to raise to double in size.
Bake 375° for 12-14 minutes. Served best warm.
Christmas in a Jar
Put the following into a large mixing bowl:
10 cups 1 inch long spruce tree clippings (use only the ends of the branch)
5 cups miniature pine cones
2 cups each
Gold jingle bells
Red bead strands (6 inches long)
Miniature candy canes
Miniature toys or ornaments
Miniature gifts
Take either a quart or pint size jar. Hot glue red velvet ribbon around top. Then tie gold braided ribbon in a bow around the red velvet ribbon. Glue tiny jingle bells to the ends of each gold ribbon . Hot glue a small pine cone in the center of the bow.
Fill with mixture. Arrange so each jar has some of each item. Top with a candle votive holder and candle.
Resources
McCaughre, Geraldine (2005). The jesse tree. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
The Jesse Tree This website tells the history and story of the Jesse Tree.
Bell, Katherine (1994). Jonathan's journey. Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Dahlstrom, Carol (2000). Simply christmas: 201 easy crafts ,food and decorating ideasBrave Ink Press
*quote used by permission from Katherine Bell