Ever since I can remember, Christmas has always been my absolute favorite time of year. And although most tend to think that the gifts are the highlight of the season (I especially did when I was a child), for me it has been about traditions and watching my parents give to the less fortunate. And because of them, I dedicate this article to my parents with much love and gratitude.
Growing up, Christmas wasn’t just on Christmas day. It started on Dec. 1 when my brother and I opened our very first day of our chocolate advent calendar, a tradition which my mom still carries on for her grandchildren. It was a game we made up–guessing what the chocolate was behind that closed door. Mom would soon set a date with my grandmother and my aunt for cooking and baking. When my great-grandfather (and my Husky) were still alive, they were the taste-testers. I seemed to be on sprinkle duty until I was old enough to bake my own. We would have the Christmas music on in the background (Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith were always favorites of mine) as my family would sing. This is another tradition my mom keeps alive with her grandchildren. And like the Griswolds, every year we’d drive to a tree farm and cut down the perfect Christmas tree. Yes, I actually have a picture where we look like the Griswolds. It’s pretty funny. We’d get home, dad would put on the lights and then we’d decorate.
Every time we’d pass a Salvation Army stand my parents would put money in the bucket. My mom would also purchase tons of gifts for Toys for Tots. My mom spent endless hours working on the Christmas cards she would send out. My mom, brother and I practiced every week to prepare for the two Christmas Eve services in which we all sang in the choir at Christ Church UCC in Bethlehem. Mom still does.
When I was around 11 years old, my father and I started a tradition of shopping together to get gifts for my mom. We’d do breakfast or lunch and spend the day together. As I got older and my kids would join us, people actually thought my father and I were married. He took it as a compliment that he looked young, which he did and still does. I refused to believe it was because I looked older. We did stop correcting people because this became so frequent. This tradition still carries on, as we just shopped this past Thursday. This is a day I cherish every single year.
Christmas Eve was an entire day of traditions of its own. It was the last chocolate in the Advent calendar, it was the night of candlelight services, singing in the choir, wearing our Christmas outfits, putting out the cookies and milk, knowing my grandparents were spending the night (oh how I miss that), getting to open the presents from my distant relatives who had their gifts shipped to us, and going to bed as one of our family members would read The Night Before Christmas knowing we’d wake up with the stockings at the foot of our bed. Christmas would be at the break of dawn for us. I didn’t care if it was dark outside, it was indeed the only day of the year as a child that I was a morning person. We were allowed to open our stockings but then we had to endure breakfast (which we HAD to eat first) before running into the living room to see the lit tree and our gifts. Santa always wrapped mine in one paper and my brother’s in another. Our living room was small, which I absolutely loved. It was cozy with the fire going and our loved ones crammed into this small space for the day. Because my grandmother wanted to see what everyone got, the rule was to open one present at a time. I liked it that way. As our family looks back at all of the pictures from Christmases past, we laugh at the fact that we had a huge family room that we only ever used once. But because it felt weird we went back to the small living room where we always had Christmas. Another thing that made us laugh is that we could never figure out the year of the old pictures of my dad because he wore the same teal sweat suit for way too many Christmases. I seriously thought about getting him a new one for this year, as a joke of course. Oh, and I have a question….are we the only family who wraps a picture of the gift because it didn’t arrive on time? I love hearing the stories of my dad being up all hours of the night putting stickers on my brother’s G.I. Joe toys. And those moments we woke up to the tree on the floor because of the cat. Reminiscing is one of my favorite things to do with my family.
So many things have changed as I’ve gotten older. I feel so blessed to have the family that I have, who have shown me the real reason for the season. I may not be able to tell you many of the material gifts I’ve received, but what I can tell you is the feelings I had and still have about the Christmas season. What I do remember are the important things. They have nothing to do with money, a little to do with gifts, and most importantly, with the traditions that were carried through, and the love and joy I felt and still feel being with the ones I love. It is each moment, each smile, each taste of a Christmas cookie (because for some reason most were only ever baked at Christmastime). It’s the music, it’s the hugs, it’s the smells, it’s the tears when someone is emotional over a sentimental gift. Christmas is about giving, appreciating and spreading the love and light wherever you go. It’s about continuing traditions and starting new ones. It’s about helping those in need. It’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus and continuing to love as He loved.
This Christmas, I would love for you to focus on what really matters. Really feel the feelings of the holiday and what it means to you. My prayer for you all is to see all the blessings that surround you always, not just at Christmas. May you find joy in the simple things and be grateful for all you have. May you realize that your light shines brightly and people do notice. Your smile lights up the world, and we all know that the world needs more of that. Be reminded that Christmas isn’t necessarily about the present you give, but moreso your presence in the lives of others.
May God bless you now and always. Merry Christmas!
Amy
Amy Musser, a Hellertown resident, is a spiritual adviser and the owner of The Angel Whisperer based at Sacred Space. She was diagnosed with grade 3 astrocytoma, a type of brain cancer, over the summer. She documents her progress fighting the disease and shares inspiration on her Facebook page.
