What is a Christmas tradition that your family has? I was asked that question again last week. We had gathered as a church family for dinner, as we do twice a month. We are a small enough flock that we can meet in a home. After dinner our host always has a question that we spend time responding to. This time it was on family traditions. Our son, Mark, who is also our pastor, had the opportunity to respond ahead of me. His answer was predictable because it is the one our kids all like to laugh about. It is simple, yet meaningful, tradition involving the magi in our manger scene.
It actually isn't my tradition; I learned it from one of my mentors. I worked with Pastor Bill Huener during my years serving as a DCE at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Downers Grove, Illinois. Bill lived his life by the liturgical church year and celebrated every festival. He also had traditions that accompanied each one. Part of his Christmas celebration involved the three magi and the nativity scene. The magi, our kids called them Larry, Moe and Curly, do not arrive at the creche until January 6, Epiphany. Each year they begin their journey somewhere in the house east of where the manger scene is located. Each day they move closer to the manger until they actually arrive on Epiphany. That is our way of celebrating the twelve days of Christmas. It is also a reminder that the orthodox branch of the Christian Church celebrates Our Lord's birth on January 6th. Out of respect for his orthodox neighbors, Bill always left all of his decorations up until the day after Epiphany. I still do the same, even though to my knowledge my neighbors celebrate Christmas in December 25.
What traditions do you celebrate as a family? Some involve food like scotcharoos or wassail, favorites at our house. Others might involve a favorite song that is sung around the piano, or decorations that have special meaning. While you are observing those traditions this year take time to share with your family the story behind the traditions. Along the way remind them of the reason behind the seasons. Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, is a time of preparation when we reflect on the promise of the Savior and why he had to come into the world; namely our sinful nature. There really are twelve days in the Christmas season and it ends with Epiphany. The Epiphany season runs from January 6 to Ash Wednesday. During that time we contemplate the fact that the magi and others who met the Christ Child had a passion to share the Good News of his birth.
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