Christmas Traditions

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Matthew 2:1-11. I find it interesting to see what other people do as some of their family Christmas traditions. What are some of your Christmas Traditions? In this post, I am going to share some of my family’s Christmas traditions and a family favorite recipe that we fix every year during the Christmas holidays.

Christmas is a time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Probably at the top of the list as one of our favorite family Christmas traditions over the years has been being involved in our church’s Christmas drama that was called, “This Man Called Jesus,” and was performed for twenty-five years at the church.

My husband, children, grandchildren all played parts in the drama throughout the years. There are many people in our community and throughout the world who attended the drama and some came back every year to see it as part of their family traditions. The drama is no longer done at our church, but has become a community project that my family is still involved in. It is now called “Jesus Is His Name.”

At home, we decorate our tree and home in a festive manner as I am sure a lot of you do as well. It is always a fun family time of putting up the tree and getting the house ready for the Christmas holidays.

This year we started a new Christmas tradition of giving the children and grandchildren an ornament that they could keep and hang on their tree in the future as something to remember us by. I also wrote them a Christmas letter introducing the new tradition and reminding them to always celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

When our children were growing up we always opened presents on Christmas morning, but now that they are grown and have children of their own, we open our presents on Christmas Eve. That way they are able to celebrate Christmas with their children on Christmas morning. We also have a nice Christmas dinner as part of our Christmas celebration. Over the past several years we have gone to our daughter’s house to have breakfast with her and watch her children open their presents. Then, we may drop by and visit other relatives and friends in the area.

We also have a big family party usually after Christmas with all of my extended family. Our house was the meeting place after my parents went to be with the Lord. Now that we have outgrown our house we started meeting at a community center. My brother, sisters, and their children and grandchildren all gather together for a meal and fellowship. Everybody brings finger foods, appetizers, or a covered dish and we all enjoy another day of celebrating together. Each family group represented at the party has their picture taken in front of the Christmas tree. We usually have about thirty or thirty-five people for this day of celebration. Of course that number continues to grow as the family grows.

We have special treats that we cook only during the holiday season. Over the years I have taught my daughters and now my grandchildren how to cook. One of our favorite things to make every year is Peanut Butter Balls. I only fix these during the holidays, so it gives my family something to look forward to. One of my granddaughters asked me if we could make them in the summer, and I told her she would have to wait until Christmas. I will share that recipe with you at the end of this post.

The wise men gave gifts at the birth of Jesus. Maybe this is where we developed the tradition of exchanging gifts.

Daily Bible Reading:

Matthew 2:1-11

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Things to think about:

• What are your family traditions?
• Which of your family traditions do you feel honor Jesus’ birth?
• Are there any of your family traditions that does not honor the birth of Jesus?
• How can we make our family traditions more about celebrating the birth of Jesus and less commercialized?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this Scripture where the wise men’s visit at the birth of Jesus is recorded. Help us as we go through the holiday season to always remember the true meaning of Christmas. Help us to center our celebrations around the birth of Christ. Help us to honor You in all that we do. Thank You for giving the precious gift of Your Son, Jesus, to be born into this world in order to save us from our sins. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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This is a recipe my family usually makes every year for Christmas. However, I haven’t gotten around to it yet this year. I usually make three or four recipes, so we can have plenty for all our Christmas gatherings.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 lb. confectioners sugar

2 sticks margarine or butter, melted

1 cup crushed graham crackers (I run mine through the salad shooter w/ the grate blade)

1 cup peanut butter-you can use crunchy or creamy whichever you prefer, I prefer crunchy, but the grandchildren prefer creamy.

1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter, stir in peanut butter until melted, add sugar, vanilla, and graham crackers crumbs.  The mixture will be very thick.  Form into balls.  Melt 6 oz. chocolate chips with 1/4 bar paraffin wax over low heat in double boiler.  Use a toothpick or spoon to dip balls into chocolate.  Put on wax paper until set.

* Each recipe will make about 100 bite-size Peanut Butter Balls.

I like to mix the chocolate chips, using some semi-sweet and some milk chocolate.

You can do only milk chocolate, or only semi-sweet, or half of each, or I prefer 3 semi-sweet to 1 milk chocolate.

If you would like to see some of our other family favorite recipes please stop by my blog called Recipe for Life at: http://www.deborah-bateman.blogspot.com

May God bless you and your family throughout the holiday season and through the next year.

Happy holidays,

Deborah