For something different, I would love you, my dear readers, to help me write this blog!
Yes, I think it is time to let you do some writing and sharing, and I will sit back and read! Does that sound like a plan?
As another holiday season comes to an end, I am interested to learn what kind of special traditions are a part of you and your family’s life. Feel free to even share any traditions you might have had as a child growing up or maybe some new tradition you started recently.
I will share two recent traditions that I have been honored to be a part of. Technically, I have shared them before but in case you don’t remember or are a newer reader, here you go….
As I reflect back to three Christmas’s ago, I continue to see the ripple effect of God at work in every event and interaction.
There was a gal, Kelley, from our then Bible Study, who had started visiting a lady she did not even know from our church. Kelley thought it would really bless the lady if some people came and sang Christmas Carols to her in the nursing home where she was. So my husband played the guitar, another guy played the accordion, and 6 of us sang. It really was a special gathering and it was wonderful to see some of the lady’s family joined us as we all celebrated the Christmas season. After leaving there, we decided to visit some friends of ours who enjoy music and the gentleman is pretty much home bound. While there, he thought about calling another gentleman who was in a different nursing home so we sang to him via the telephone.
What made this whole first year of Christmas Caroling more special was to learn that three months later the lady in the nursing home died. I do believe we made her last Christmas more special by merely singing a few songs. I will always remember the specialness of joining that family, seeing the lady praising the Lord through singing along too, and praying with them.
Photo courtesy of Rowen Atkinson under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 2.0)
The next year, I really felt it would be nice to get a group together to go Christmas Caroling again, though it was kind of last minute. And, for those of you know me personally, you know I’m not a leader or one to organize a function! But, my husband was willing to play the guitar, and we extended the invitation to our Bible Study group once again. There were a total of 8 of us who ended up visiting three shut-ins to help bring them the Christmas spirit. Each person has their own story, their own struggles, their own issues. I love to pray for them while singing, asking the Lord to bless them and help them through whatever their situation. My husband also had the idea to make up a little plate of cookies to give each person we sang to.
This year, we tried to plan a little further ahead, and a group of 7 of us went to 5 houses to sing, bring cookies & chocolates, and pray with them. To see the joy on the people’s faces is priceless. This year I noticed how the people really wanted to GIVE us something too, to show their appreciation and how much it meant to them. One lady offered us small candy bars and clementines (which referenced our sermon that day), another gave us water bottles to help our singing voices, and another had cookies and hot cider ready for us. It was truly a blessed time being in the moment….being ready to humbly accept what they offered in love instead of rushing out. Seeing the carolers lovingly introduce themselves to the people and share God’s love with them was another blessing.
What was also special with this year was that different people gave feedback into options of people we could sing to and it was neat to see the Lord leading. The one was a last minute one because I first walked by this lady at church that day, then felt I should go back and talk to her. That lead her to share with me a burden she had for her husband who has been sick and needs surgery. I really thought it would be a nice idea if we stopped and sang to them, but we could not find her address as they had moved because their house was destroyed in the flood. We knew the general area and thankfully the Lord put the right people in our path to find the way to her house. 😃
Isn’t it neat to see what a blessing the one simple “yes” from Kelley to visit a stranger can have? It has led to blessings other’s lives by something as simple as Christmas Caroling to shut-ins every year! And, I can say from experience, it certainly blesses the people who are using the simple voice that the good Lord gave them to try to spread His love!
Photo courtesy of scott1346 under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)
The second tradition we have is just in its second year. Last year, my oldest son thought we should prepare a special meal for my mother who is usually alone and doesn’t get out much. She is also vegan so it can be challenging to come up with some food that she will eat. All five of us ended up surprising her last year by bringing the meal to her house, dishes and all (so we could take them home to wash them.) My son came up with a homemade soup & a healthy smoothie that ended up just perfect. My husband also brought his guitar and we sang a few Christmas Carols after dinner. When we left there, she had tears of happiness and joy in her eyes. I am so glad my son thought of doing it so we have now made it a Christmas tradition for us!
This year’s experience was another good one! We actually pulled it off from shopping, to executing, to delivering and eating in about four hours total! Four of the five of us were busy all helping fix the food at the same time and packing things up. This time we brought a game to play to help brighten her day. We know it really meant a lot to her that we took time to brighten her day.
Please chime in in the comment section below and share some special traditions that have been or are currently a part of your life! Thank you for taking the time to share and bless!
To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. –2 Thessalonians 2:14-15 (ESV)
I have done gingerbread houses with my growing number of nieces and nephews. It started as a small way for us to celebrate with them at a fairly low cost (we had hardly any money for gifts at the time) but they loved it so much that i have continued it every year since…Over ten years now.
Thanks for sharing, Ingrid! That sounds like a special bonding experience and how nice to see the longevity of that tradition! Another meaningful way to celebrate the holiday season!
This was our second Christmas with Mom at Good Shepherd Fairview. Dad passed in May so we were definitely missing him this year but we had our second annual Chinese take-out dinner for Christmas (an idea we took from the movie “A Christmas Story”). It was simple, quiet, and low stress but a happy celebration of The holiday.
I’m sure it was a difficult Christmas this year, but it is neat that it was the second year for that new tradition. 🙂 Blessings to you and your family! Thank you for sharing.
Christine – I felt so blessed joining you and Mark this year singing Christmas Carols. It was such a joy to meet to many wonderful people who live so near. I hope this tradition continues and that I can participate for years to come.
Our Christmas Tradition is to attend Mass as a Family on Christmas Eve, then have a nice meal together, with Christmas music in the background. Then open gifts and visit.
God Bless you for all your writings and love you share.
Kelley….I sure am thankful for your prompting three years ago….Amazing what a wonderful ripple effect it had. 🙂 I’m so glad you were able to join us again this year! Thank you for sharing your special tradition! That sounds lovely and peaceful. Continued love and blessings to you and your family! Thank you for your kind words and encouragement…I am so blessed. 🙂
Cookies. I make way too many cookies. Stop by next year for a tray to take caroling👍
Hmmm! That is a yummy tradition to have, Mary-Jo!! Thanks for the willingness to share with those we sing to next year! I guess we would even add your house to our list of those to sing to! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Both of your two traditions are awesome. You are such a loving, caring person. Your family and friends are blessed to have you in their lives.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words, Sandy! I am so glad and blessed to have met you! And even better, I am so glad we have kept in touch…you are a blessing to me. May 2017 be a great year for you and your family. 🙂
Oh how we miss the tradition of getting together with family. My mother was number 13 out of a family of 24 children. My father was number 3 in a family of only 18. We would gather at grandma’s house and eat and laugh and sing and give thanks for the gift of family. Today our family is small and displaced all over the U.S. We now pray to the community of Saints and look forward to the wonderful group of carolers who visit us every Christmas and remind us what it is to be part of a large loving family. Greg
Greg: I can see how you would miss getting together with family! Wow…what a wonderful gift and so much fun that must have been with all that family!! You continue to inspire and bless me, and I am so thankful to know and love you! Thank you for sharing,blessing and being part of my large loving family! 🙂
A very late reply……. 🙂
Your stories about Christmas caroling remind me of very special memories I have of Christmas caroling at local nursing homes with the church “folk group” many years ago. It truly was a very special experience. I especially remember how much the old folks enjoyed any of our young children – especially babies! – that we brought along! I also have fond memories of Christmas caroling at a nursing home with my son’s boy scout troop. It really is so important to remember that little things can mean so much to others!
Unfortunately, Christmas caroling is not a tradition that we have continued through the years. However, one tradition that we started back when my oldest child was young and that we have continued through all the years is getting the list of parishioners from our parish who are in nursing homes or who are shut-ins, and sending Christmas cards to them. I’ve always had the kids draw Christmas pictures in the cards as well. Sometimes we receive cards in return, and we have formed pen-pal type friendships with a few people this way!
One very long standing tradition that my family carries on each year is visiting with extended family at my aunt’s house in PA. My mother’s 2 sisters never married or moved out of the family home and ever since I was little, they would host a celebration on Christmas Day (Easter too) each year, complete with dinner, gifts, visit from Santa, etc. (We also did some caroling there for a number of years too!) One of those aunts passed away about 16 yrs ago, but the other aunt (now in her 80’s!) still continues to carry on the tradition (altho slightly lower key). I feel so blessed that this is a tradition that I have been able to enjoy for literally my entire life! My aunt is a very special lady who has provided out family with so many special memories!
Thanks so much for sharing the wonderful traditions that are a part of your family, Barb! It is really great to hear of the different traditions that make the holidays even more special. Sending Christmas cards to the shut-ins is a great ministry and idea, especially with the special kid drawn parts! How special to see it even turned into a pen-pal type friendship. What a great time of fellowship and memories that your aunt has provided for your whole life…that is very special.