By Carolyn Tomlin
Shops overflow with holiday gifts.
Carols ring out from every street corner. Bell
ringers collect monetary contributions for needy families. Families spend time together.
If you’re like many families at Christmas, you continue the same traditions
handed down by parents and grandparents. Could your clan honor their history
while starting a few new customs? Perhaps these suggestions will work for you.
Collect small Christmas tree
ornament from other countries. As family members travel outside the U.S.,
ask them to purchase a locally made ornament to hang on the tree. Inexpensive
and requiring minimum luggage space, they will be symbolic of your vacation or
mission trip. During a holiday get-together, share something about the country
you visited and the people you met.
Video creating a favorite
family recipe. My mother
was known for her chicken and dressing. She knew the exact amount of
sage, black pepper, onions, and stock to make it delicious. The problem: she
never wrote it
down. Like many great cooks of this generation, she cooked by taste.
Today, with
smartphones and other technology, we can make a short video and email
it to others. The auditory and visual presentation will provide the knowledge
of keeping those favorite holiday recipes around.
Adopt a family project each
year. Correspond by phone
or email with family members and make a checklist of available service
projects in your
area. Ask each person to vote on their choice. The project with the
highest number
of votes will be the winner. Suggestions could include “Adopting a Family”
for Christmas, scheduling a “Make-a-Difference Day” in December for
the entire family; or preparing and serving a holiday dinner to a homeless center.
Children can request extra chores and donate part of their allowance for a
month. Adults can save change and forgo restaurants meals. Celebrate the
spirit of giving back to those less fortunate.
Attend a Christmas service of
Scripture and Carols.
Churches and Christian colleges present free community concerts during
the Christmas
season. Sit together as a family and support those who have spent hours
in preparation.
Afterward, meet for light dessert and coffee. Plan to make this annual
event.
Consider alternative gift
ideas. Does grandfather
really need a necktie with blue toadstools? Or does Aunt Sally
have space for another wall hanging? Instead of all the relatives
exchanging gifts, donate to a local charity in honor of a loved one. Or agree to
provide dog and cat food to an animal shelter. Chew toys are always needed
for dogs.
As you celebrate the birth of
Jesus, think of new traditions your family can enjoy. Adapt some of the older
customs with these fresh ones. Spend time with those you love.
__________
Carolyn Tomlin,
Jackson, TN,
writes for the magazine and newspaper market. What I Wish I’d Known Sooner: Parents is available on Amazon and
Kindle.
