Christmas with My Family Traditions

Christmas with My Family Traditions enhance our lives and make up the person we are. Even though every family has their own traditions and rituals they all come together to unite as a family during the holidays. Every family has their own traditions that are based on their beliefs. It is my family’s tradition to gather around the Christmas tree and celebrate the birth of Christ.

My family’s Christian faith strongly influences our Christmas Eve. We start our rituals off by going to our church’s Candlelight service where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. After church, we go home and get ready for Santa Clause to come visit. It is my sister, Ashton’s job to decorate cookies and my job to make rice krispy treats. My dad is always in charge of the sausage balls for Christmas morning. My mom is usually still busy wrapping last minute gifts. Joy and excitement fills the house while we make our last minute preparations, even our yorkies are anxious to see what Christmas morning will bring.

My mother always buys my sister and I matching pajamas to wear to sleep while we wait for Santa to visit. It is tradition to sit in front of the fireplace with the dogs and have pictures taken by my mom. Ashton worries every year that she has not been good enough for Old Saint Nick to visit her. Before we are tucked in for bed, my sister and I open one present from underneath the tree; Ashton has her picked out for days, while it is always hard for me to decide which present to open. Now, we set out the goodies and letters to Santa. Once everything is in perfect order, Ashton and I head off to my bed with our three dogs. Ashton is always so excited that she keeps me up for hours talking about Rudolph and the elves.

Giving to friends and neighbors is a family tradition that we have every year. Exchanging homemade goodies with friends and neighbors is a way we show the Christmas spirit of giving. We always look forward to giving to others, which is a strong belief to my family; we believe that giving is better than receiving. Giving to others reminds us what the Christmas holiday is all about. My mom bakes the most exceptional pumpkin bread ever and Lori, an old family friend, makes the greatest fudge. Our families have been exchanging Christmas goodies since I can remember. It has also become a tradition for our families to deliver small gifts and cookies to other family friends. Another tradition we have is to adopt an angel from the organization called, Spirit of Christmas. Every year my sister and I pick out a young girl to shop for. We reminisce about our childhood memories while chose toys for the child. Sharing the Christmas holiday with friends and neighbors reminds us how we are all brothers in the family of Christ.

What is the true meaning of Christmas? The stores are stocked with Christmas trees, Santa Claus, elves, and eight tiny reindeer. All of these are now what we associate with Christmas. However, Christmas is more than that; Christmas is about Jesus. My family celebrates Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday. As Christians, we believe that Christ is our savior. Santa Claus became a part of Christmas because of the legendary story of the monk, St. Nicholas; he was a wealthy man who traveled the country giving gifts to children and to the poor. Over the course of many years the legend has changed to the fairy-tale of Santa Claus; a man that wears a bright red suit, with a workshop in the North Pole with elves as helpers, who comes on Christmas Eve to give children gifts.

Christmas is the holiday most Christians look forward to, we like this holiday because it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The Jewish, Muslim, and Jehovah Witness’s are a few people who do not celebrate this wonderful time of celebration because of their religious beliefs. The outsiders of Christmas have a different faith than the Christians. They celebrate their beliefs in another way. I find it hard to believe that there are people who do not gather around the Christmas tree with their family on Christmas Eve. Even though they do not celebrate Christmas, they have their own family traditions.

Traditions are important to my family as in many other families. Religion, family, and ethnic backgrounds all determine the traditions every family acquires. Most family traditions are passed from generation to generation. I know that my family’s tradition on Christmas Eve will be passed down to my children.