Here Comes Christmas!

President Jimmy Carter's young grandson once commented that Christmas begins Thanksgiving night. It was like that at our house when my girls were growing up. That night, still full from an abundant dinner with extended family, we would revisit the tradition of placing tiny red, green and plaid ribbons in a dining room floral arrangement of statice. Once done, we knew the Christmas holiday had begun!

When I was a child, my family had the tradition of cutting down our Christmas tree at a local venue. That tradition finally went south the year that Dad and us three little girls were sent into our own woods to get a "free tree." We returned with one that had holes the size of basketballs. We didn't have any ornaments that size, and to say that Mom was not impressed was an understatement. Even hanging it upside down outside for a day or two didn't help.

Later when I had my own family, trimming the tree was still a big deal for me. Both my girls had collections of ornaments, added to each year by friends and family. It made every Christmas that much more special when we unboxed these unique collections of memories.

What are you doing to make Christmas special at your house this year? What traditions do you most enjoy, and why? How could you make someone else's Christmas brighter? Whose? These all could be good topics to bring up around the dinner table or with your youth group - or simply with your friends. They just might spark some new traditions, and possibly make Christmas special for someone who could really use some extra kindness this year. That is always appropriate!