There are many Christmas traditions. Some are extremely common, such as putting up a tree and decorating the house, while others are unique to a person or family. And, even with the traditions creating some unity, each celebration of Christmas is different. I have distinct memories of my first Christmas away from home. I was more worried about “ruining Christmas” by disrupting traditions, than forgoing my own. Ultimately, changing things up only helped me expand my view of Christmas.

Perhaps this is part of the beauty of celebrating the coming of Christ over and over, year by year. The traditions help us carry forward the thread of hope and goodness that God brings as Christ arrives. And the perpetual, but gradual changes can represent how the meaning of the Incarnation continues to expand within us, as the years go by and our faith grows and expands.

I hope that we might each find a moment to reflect on Christmas. What are some of our favorite, cherished memories from this holiday? How can we allow this year to also be new? The new may challenge us, perhaps with new faces or those that are missing from our past. Yet God continues to seek us out and arrive in new ways each year. May our celebration of the Incarnation remind us of how God comes to us wherever we are, bringing the fullness of God’s love to us all over again.

Blessings,
Paul