Christmas traditions

We do not remember the day, we remember the moments.

Cesare Pavese

Traditions are created each year and we generally don't remember each and every year, but we remember the moments that were created. A family tradition we did when I was a child started at the beginning of December. We would all sit around the fireplace and my parents would talk about the real reason we celebrate Christmas, Jesus. We had a little wooden cradle (that was actually one of my baby cradles) and every year it would sit next to the fireplace with a large pile of straw next to it. We would draw names at the beginning of each week in December and throughout the week we would each do thoughtful deeds for the family member's name we drew. For each kind deed we did, we would place 1 piece of straw into the cradle. The purpose of the activity was to see how much straw padding we would have on Christmas day for Jesus to lay in. I remember this tradition like it was yesterday and when our kiddos are older, I hope to do it. It instilled in each of us, the importance of serving one another and how as we serve it gives Jesus a place in our house.

Jesus was the ultimate servant and when He came to earth, He sacrificed it all for us.