Carolyn and I have started talking about what Christmas “traditions” we should start to institute. For that matter, we’re also talking about how to present Christmas to baby Sam in the future. In many ways, despite the efforts of some true believers, Christmas has become as much a secular holiday as a religious one. As has been noted earlier, I’m hardly a model Christian, despite agreeing with many of the stated (if not demonstrated) tenets of the faith. (How can you love your neighbor as yourself, but invade his country seeking oil under the flimsiest of pretenses?) Nonetheless, Christmas is so pervasive in our culture that it seems ridiculous to try to migrate it back to the winter solstice from whence it came.
In reading a recent issue of a parenting magazine, I came across some Christmas traditions kids love (or some such) article that was filled with the kinda bogus stuff that rubs me the wrong way. It contained things like
Betty, a mom of 14 writes:
Little 2-month old Timmy really enjoys our annual Christmas tradition of making our own Christmas candles. Each year, the kids hand-craft candle molds from steel I-beams donated by the local mill. They then make 2 candles from each mold — one to burn for themselves, and one to ship to less fortunate children in the Indian sub-continent to share the Christmas spirit.
I mean, where to begin? If he’s 2 months old, how does he know it’s an annual tradition? How does he make candles when he can’t tell a candle from his leg from a turkey? Why does he think kids in India will want Christmas candles? HUH? OK, the actual “quote” was a parody with hyperbole. Some. But c’mon!
Did you have Christmas traditions that you enjoyed as a kid? Or ones that you now practice with your kids? Care to share?