The uniqueness of traditions...

As the day of Nativity approaches, our family traditions are revving up to meet the occasion. Tim and Laura and the boys arrived last evening. Jill broke out a couple of pizzas, and we had a lovely visit, after the boys were bedded down: Josiah in his Spiderman sleeping bag, and Judah on the guest bed.

At last, we all were weary from a long day, and we went to bed. Today, the Sagawas left for Tacoma to visit Tim's mom. It is traditional for them to spend Christmas Eve with her and Tim's siblings. They will return after dinner on Christmas Eve. In the meantime, while I went to help my mom with some last minute preparations for her trip to spend Christmas with my brother and his family in Bothell, WA, Jill baked the Danish fruit bread that is her tradition from childhood. Her brother is coming tomorrow, so this will be a nostalgic treat for the two of them. Of course, it will be a treat for all of us, because it is so good!
This evening, after a nice, brisk walk with Pogo in the nice, brisk December air, we launched into making the English meat pies that are a tradition my great grandmother brought from the old country, and which has been the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of my family since I can remember. I had prepared the filling yesterday, and Jill, bless her heart, made the pie crusts, while I filled the pies (they are about 5" in diameter) and pinched the crusts together. The first batch is in the oven baking as I write.Tara is due to arrive from Denver this evening about 11:00! She is bringing fixin's to make truffles (candy). This could become a new tradition! I love truffles. Patrick and Katie are coming tomorrow morning for their first Christmas with us on Christmas Day since they were married a year and a half ago. Pat is an avid collector of unusual board games, so I am sure we will be in for a treat, when we engage in some gaming in the evenings, which is another tradition in our family.

All things considered, this Christmas is shaping up to be traditional in some respects and unique in others. Having the kids and grandkids all here together for Christmas is the traditional way Christmas has been celebrated for centuries, and yet it can only happen every four years in our family because the kids have other family obligations. And bless their hearts, they are committed to enjoying this season with all of their family members on an equal basis. This Christmas will be traditional in the sense that we will be enjoying traditional Christmas Eve treats around the table, and yet it is unique in that we are including the traditions of my family, Jill's family and her brother Bob's family.

Most of all, it will be traditional in the sense that we will all be blessed by the celebration of God's reaching out to mankind to reconcile us to Himself by becoming flesh and blood, being born in a lowly stable (have you smelled one of those things recently?), and living among us so that He could know the human condition first hand, feeling the pains we feel and the joys we rejoice in, the trials we face and the temptations that overtake us. But it will be unique in that He cares for each of us individually, loving us unconditionally and longing to have a unique, personal relationship with you and me. He sits in heaven now to intercede for each of us with the Father. And the only Christmas gift that He desires is for you to give Him your heart. In exchange, He gave His life for you. Won't you do the same for Him this Christmas?