...is fast approaching! With all this amazing weather it sure doesn't seem like Christmas is a mere 6 weeks away. Plus, things go so fast around here with a growing and changing girl! I've been thinking a lot about traditions and how to start things off right since this is Aria's first Christmas. Of course she won't remember it at all, but I still want to "begin as we intend to proceed."
Christmas is an amazing time of year! Unfortunately for most, not for the real reason. Amidst all the shopping, Santa, stress, shopping, traveling, eating, decorating, shopping, etc. it is so easy to lose touch of reality. Christmas is the celebration of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus' birth. It really is that simple. God came to Earth, became man, and died for us so we could have eternal life. And, Christmas is the day we celebrate His entrance to the world. So why all the hullabaloo? I'm not exactly sure. Both last year and this year our church is on board with the
Advent Conspiracy. I strongly encourage you to follow that link and watch the video. It is so very convicting. We are so blessed here in America. We spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on Christmas when just a few of those dollars would go such a long way in other places. Why not give it where it is needed?
Speaking of giving, I love to give gifts! I am generally way more excited to watch family members open gifts I give them then to open the gifts for me. I try to find gifts that have special meaning or are just a surprise. I'm not big on gift cards, making specific lists, or especially people knowing what their gifts are before they are unwrapped (even though I have been known to "discover" some of my own gifts in the past). However, sometimes I tend to go overboard and get caught up in how many gifts do I have for so and so instead of making sure they are meaningful. Justin and I have spent way to much on Christmas gifts for each other in the past and we really want to follow the Advent Conspiracy and spend less and give more worshipfully! I wasn't sure how this was going to work, setting limits or coming up with a tradition until last night.
I was out for dessert with a group of moms and a couple of them talked about giving 3 gifts for Christmas. Totally hit me square in the face. It goes something like this. "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and of myrrh." Matthew 2:11 Shortly after Jesus was born, the Magi visited him and brought 3 gifts. This tradition is where the whole gift giving came from at Christmas. So why not continue? I found
this website that describes the meaning behind the gold, frankincense, and myrrh more in depth. It is kind of a long description, so here is a quick summary. I think most of us probably get that gold is valuable and therefore is something we all "WANT." Frankincense was the resin from a tree. It was obtained by cutting the bark of the tree and letting the resin harden. It was then ground into a powder. Though it tasted bitter, it was known for how freely it burned, leaving nothing behind. This is symbolic of a life of holiness and righteousness. Therefore Frankincense represents a SPIRITUAL gift. Myrrh means “bitterness”. It was used in perfumes, but also when embalming the dead, and as an antiseptic or to reduce pain. Sounds lovely, but when you think of Christ dying for us, it kind of fits. Myrrh symbolizes suffering and tribulation, which we all know are a part of life. “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” 2 Timothy 3:12. Therefore Myrrh respresents a gift we NEED. I LOVE this symbolism! It was the tradition I was looking for. Justin was immediately on board and we now know we will only be looking for 3 Christmas presents for each member of our household, something we each WANT, NEED, and a SPIRITUAL gift.
Lastly, there is the delicate topic of traveling and getting together with family to celebrate Christmas. I believe it is very important to gather with family and celebrate the birth of Jesus together. It is a time for worship, fellowship, and giving relationally. However, it is insanely hard to gather with all family in one day. Families are constantly growing and changing and generations are added. When marriages and births increase the number in a family, it isn't increased by just one, but by all the family on the "in-law" side. It is a delicate situation to try to make everyone happy. Once again, I return to the Bible. "The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:23-24. This verse, very early in the Bible, presents the first family unit, husband and wife. On August 7, 2004, Justin and I became a family. A small family, but a family separate from anyone else. Of course we are very much still a part of our parents' families and our extended families, but we are our own family unit first. Call me crazy, but I think it is most important on any holiday that we celebrate together as a family of 3 first. Next up is our parents. I have awesome memories of going to grandma's house as a child and I can't wait for Aria to have those types of memories with both sets of grandparents! I'm not sure how it is going to work since Aria's grandparents live a little bit farther away from her than my grandparents lived from me, but we will find a way. I'm also not sure if we will do the same type of schedule every year, but I do know that our family of 3 will always come first.
However it happens, Aria's first Christmas will be a blast! I did already splurge on a personalized stocking for her, which is important to me for some odd reason, and we'll probably have to get a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament, too, but I am so excited to search for 3 meaningful gifts and to establish new traditions that I hope can continue throughout Aria's childhood.
