“I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:5-6
Christmas Family Traditions
Walk His Way Revisited
I have some really great memories of Christmas family get-togethers from my childhood. My grandparents from both sides of my family came from Christian homes, and as a matter of fact, we can trace our family heritage (on both sides) back to the 1500’s during the time of Martin Luther and the reformation. We belong to a certain Protestant ethnic group that carried forth from that era.
My heart is very sad for people who hate getting together with family at Christmas time, because for me it was the most wonderful time of the year! The festivities would kick off with the Christmas Eve service at church. Then there were always three wonderful times of family celebrations: the one with my parents in the early morning, then off to dad’s family Christmas time, and later to mom’s family Christmas. We had the best food which included some ethnic selections such as zwiebach (not the disgusting baby biscuits on store shelves) that were yeasty, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth concoctions; veranika, German sausage; pluma mousse; pfeffernuessen; rull; kuchen; and borscht, to mention a few.
After stuffing ourselves almost to the point of agony, we would gather around Grandma and Grandpa for the Christmas program, which included Christmas carols (a few sung in German) and then the children had to perform their parts from the Christmas program at church for Grandma and Grandpa, aunts and uncles. The long-awaited dispersing of Christmas presents was, of course, always a fun time!
To this day we still have Christmas family get-togethers, and have gone on to create our own family traditions. I think Jesus would approve—we have always made Him an important part of all the celebrating. And after all, I think Jesus Himself knows how to party with family and enjoy great times of celebration! He turned the water into wine at a wedding for an amped-up good time! Then He was always enjoying good food and fellowship at Mary’s and Martha’s place, and don’t forget His time with Zacchaeus the tax collector (I’m sure he served only the best and finest to Jesus!) God Himself created holidays and rich times of festivals and celebrations in the Old Testament.
When I look back at my wonderful family heritage and traditions, I am reminded of that verse in Exodus that says that those generations who love and keep God’s commandments will be blessed to a thousand generations, and I can truly attest to that fact!
I want to encourage you today that if you were not blessed with a Christian heritage and family traditions, it’s never too late to start. Make this year the best Christmas ever!
Oh, heavenly Father, I am so incredibly blessed! Thank You for allowing me to be born into such a wonderful earthly family who truly loved You and kept Your commandments for many generations, and set such great examples for future generations to follow!