Christmas Traditions

My family rocks. “I know”, you say. No, really. My family is amazing. Everyone should be blessed with crazy lovely people such as these. Yes, we fight and disagree. No, we don’t all attend the same church (or even all go to church) or vote for the same party. It’s not always pretty. We’re not perfect. We know we’re ALL a little nut-so. (except me, of course) But when it’s Christmas time, we put all our differences and disagreements aside and party. Plain old fun and lots of food. This happens on both my mother’s side and my father’s side. How cool is that? We get together and eat until we cannot eat anymore, then we smash together for a photo, play Dirty Santa (sometimes called White Elephant), and let the kids open real presents. Before we say goodnight we eat lots of desserts featuring my mother’s scratch red and green velvet cake with scratch whipped icing. The Dirty Santa game is a new tradition, and it has just added another layer of laughter and fun to our parties. I highly recommend this game. We let the kids play too, and yes, we will steal from the kids. They have to learn it’s war for the best junk. Christmas can be so very stressful, and family time can be difficult. Start a new tradition of love and tolerance for one another. Show your family and friends that you will support them through the good and the bad. My family is crazy and I am too, but I know that they are there for me. We are never alone when we give love to each other. Isn’t that what He came to show us? Isn’t that the point of life?

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

New International Version (NIV)

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.⁸Love never fails.