Christmas: From a 9 Year Olds View

By Erik Strand

Each Christmas everyone in our family makes a special kind of cookie. I always make ginger snaps, then we have a cookie trade. And sometime between Christmas and New Years we have cookies and coffee for breakfast and sit by the fire (I really like doing that).

I also like decorating the Christmas tree. We always have a special meal of crackers, cheese, Christmas fish (herring) egg-nog, summer sausage, and soda. Then sometimes Papa will read us Christmas stories.

But I think (besides the presents) my favorite part about Christmas is spending time with Papa and everybody, and Celebrating that Jesus was born to save us.

Only 4 more days till Christmas Yay!!

Christmas: Greetings From Canada

By Katrina Taylor
ohh CHristmas... it's such a funny word in my mind. My family has a tradition of no traditions. That's right. No traditions. We never do the same thing. Do I like it? hmmm, sometimes! It's a bit of an adventure. You never know WHAT will happen. One year we'll have duck dinner, turkey, chicken, and when that all gets boring we try spaghetti! I'm not sure if we do this on purpose, it just happens. Most memorable Christmas was two years ago. I made cookies and went into a couple nursing homes. You'd cry if you saw the amount of folks that didn't have a place to go for Christmas, and no one cared to go see them. I adopted them, all of them. Specially the ones that tried to hook me up with their ever single grandsons.

So this Christmas, whatever you do, remember what it's all about. Family, friends, laughter, Grandsons you hope you never have to meet, and Jesus... the greatest gift...

Merry Christmas!

Christmas: In Florida

By Gail Umperovitch

My Favorite Christmas Memory…

My favorite Christmas memory is not about a specific Christmas but Christmases when

my children were growing up. My son, Casey, has always been about “traditions” a

nd

establishing “traditions.”

At Christmas time after all the outdoor Christmas lights and the Christmas tree was

done, Casey would want me to make some homemade hot chocolate and we would go

outside and look through the front windows at the Christmas tree lit up in the house (even

in Florida there have been many Christmases chilly enough to warrant a warm cup of

cocoa).

As simple as that might sound, it still warms my heart to think of that simple little act. I

know it was all about our little family being together and working on a project that was

so beautiful when finished.

Memories are something that can never be taken from us. I lost my mom this past

September, 2010. She loved Christmas! For the last several years, my husband and I

would go over and decorate the outside of my parents home and my mother delighted in

having all the beautiful lights, manger scene, angels and reindeers outdoors to enjoy and

for others riding by to enjoy also. She spoiled all of the grandchildren with mounds of

Christmas presents every year and lots and wonderful food!

This Christmas will not be the same with my mom gone but I am so THANKFUL that

I have so many years of wonderful memories from Christmases when I was growing up

to many wonderful Christmases as an adult with my children experiencing Christmases

at “Mema’s.”

Our family is having a “special” family Christmas at my Mom and Dad’s. There will be

lots of presents under the tree but these presents will be extra special. They will be my

Mom’s “treasures” being given to her children and grandchildren for them to enjoy in

their homes.

Our heavenly Father has blessed us so much and we thank Him for our wonderful Mother

and all of the wonderful memories that were created with her.

Live each day in love, peace and harmony. Treasure what God has given you and do not

take advantage of a single day to let those you love know how much you love them.

God bless everyone at this very special time of the year and may we ALWAYS

remember the real celebration of the season.

Merry CHRISTmas… Gail

Christmas: The Newlyweds

Tick tock,

tick tock....The clock is ticking to that favorite time of year, and I can't believe it is here so soon! I am so very excited to celebrate the very first Christmas with my new husband! Last Christmas, the wedding was definitely on the brain, so this Christmas I look forward to focusing on shopping, decorating, parties, presents, memorizing parts in Christmas plays, family and FOOD. The Christmas traditions that I grew up with are so special to me and definitely something th

at I look forward to continuing with my very own little family

. Its been so fun taking the traditions of two different families, mixing them together, and coming up with our very own Christmas traditions!

So...here are a few of the traditions that we have instilled, year number one. They are traditions that I pray my children look back on as sweet memories, just as my husband and I do. They are traditions that I hope do not fade away with passing years, but stand the test of time. They are traditions that are forever ours, and that is what makes them so special!
*Photo tree. I am a photographer and absolutely love photographs with a passion! I believe that there is beauty all around us, and photographs are forever captured moments of that beauty. On our Christmas tree, we have assorted frames of all shapes, colors, and sizes with pictures from special memories throughout that year. I love this tradition because it is a fun, unique way for us to reminisce on all the memories and all that the Lord has done for us throughout the year.
*Christmas letter. One of my favorite things about Christmas is getting all of the Christmas cards in the mail! I love seeing everyone's picture and reading about how they are doing! This being our very first Christmas, its as good a time as any to begin our Christmas card tradition. In this past year, we have learned and experienced so much! My husband loves to write, so we have decided to always have a letter to go along with our picture, just to update our family and friends on what in new with the Goetsch's this year :)
*Christmas Story. It was tradition for my husbands family, as well as mine to read the Christmas story before Christmas dinner. I LOVE this tradition because I believe that it is SO important to keep our holidays Christ-centered! After all, it IS Jesus' birthday!
*Birthday cake. Speaking of BIRTHDAYS :) In my family, it was always tradition for us to make Jesus a birthday cake on Christmas, and yes, even sing "Happy Birthday" to Him! This may seem a bit silly to some, but to me, its the tool that my parents used to teach us, when we were young, what the Christmas Holidays are truly all about! And the tradition stuck! And it stays :) Yay for birthday cake!
*COOKIES! Can you tell that I am a huge fan of food? Growing up, my mom would always break out the baking about a week before Christmas day. We would bake so many cookies and set them out on our "Christmas cookie plate". I know that this is a simple tradition, but it was the one time a year that I was allowed to be messy with my mom(ha!) and the laughs, messes, and conversations while baking Christmas cookies with my mom are some of my sweetest memories! I am not a mommy(yet), but this is definitely a tradition that I want to continue with my husband and future children. I realize that this tradition is crazy dangerous on the waistline, so I have decided this year, our Christmas cookies are going to the homeless shelter! It is a way for us to develop these memories, and spread the love with others. (Although, I am quite sure that we will save a few for ourselves). ;)
So, here is a sneak peak into our upcoming Christmas as newlyweds. And whether you are a seasoned "tradition maker" or a new-bee like me, keep your traditions alive! You never know who's life you could be impacting...maybe even your own! Happy Traditions and a Merry Christmas to all! :)

-Ashley Goetsch