  |
It’s Christmastime and it’s time to celebrate! But, for many parents, just the thought of the season makes them want to scream “Bah hum-bug!” Why? It’s because the holidays can be hectic, heartbreaking, harrowing and just plain hard to deal with. In short, the holidays can be a hassle! Even though we’re celebrating the birth of our Savior and our gratefulness to God for His many blessings, the thought of Christmas shopping, school and church “holiday pageants,” and the various Christmas festivities can cause us a lot of stress!  |
 |
 |
The consequences of the recent economic crisis have hit many families hard. Sure, there have been economic downturns before that have affected many. But, in my years as an adult, I have never seen such widespread financial impact and uncertainty. I am reminded that in Christ, there is no reason to fear. As Christ-followers, we know that God is still on His throne, and we have much for which we can be thankful. |
|
 |
Traditions—sometimes called rituals—refer to the activities and patterns of interaction that we repeat on a daily, weekly, or even annual basis. How you greet one another at the end of the day is a valuable ritual, and just as important over time as your twenty-year tradition of eating Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's house. Traditions are important because they communicate our identity as family and their predictability provides security to our lives. When traditions are broken or changed—even if the change is preferred—something dies inside us. |
|
 |
Traditions are important for families because they provide opportunities to keep your family legacy going. From the simple to the silly to the sentimental, traditions can create meaningful memories. Don’t hesitate to try out some new traditions this Christmas season and see what works and what doesn’t for your own family. You just may create a new tradition that will keep going for generations! If you are looking for some ideas in the search for new Christmas traditions, consider the following: |
|
 |
 New for Christmas 2008, we’ve created a series of 16 Christmas family devotionals that will help your family reflect and act to make this your best Christmas ever. The series is being distributed to our Today’s HomeWord daily devotional list Monday through Friday until Christmas Eve, and can also be found in the articles section of HomeWord.com. Here is the first devotional in the series.
|
|
 |
We know everything there is to know about Christmas, right? Maybe yes. Maybe no. Here’s a fun family quiz with a dozen questions to test your knowledge about Christmas that will help you separate fact from tradition and sometimes, plain fiction. The following are all true or false questions… | |
|
