There are certain Christmas Eve traditions that our family eagerly anticipates. Each year we attend the candlelight service at our church, which concludes with hundreds of small, lit candles held by all in attendance. I believe we sing, “Silent Night” while holding the candles, but I can’t say for certain. I’m too distracted by my desperate prayers lifted to the Almighty, begging Him to prevent the catastrophe that is sure to occur when the fire in my children’s hands combusts with the hair of the person in front of us, a combination of flame and heavy-handed Aqua Net that will surely asphyxiate the entire congregation.
I tried to conjure up the miraculous circumstances of Jesus’ birth during this time, but all that came to mind was the Pepsi commercial featuring an inflamed Michael Jackson. Only when all of the candles were safely extinguished did I breathe a sigh of relief. Curiously, I craved a diet Pepsi for the remainder of the evening.
Additional traditions for Christmas Eve include the opening of one gift followed by the reading of the story of our Savior’s birth. The present opened by each of our children is always matching pajamas.
2007
2008
2009
This year, it was met with resistance.In the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve, my two boys repeatedly requested a permanent change in the gift that always leaves them looking identical. “It’s a family tradition!” I would joyfully respond, feeling strangely close to Hank Williams, Jr., and the “song that he wrote.”
“You’re not respecting our individuality,” argued my eleven year old, as though just returning from a parent seminar with James Dobson.
So, reluctantly I made the change. I purchased sleeping attire that would better reflect their personalities, their God-given uniqueness, a modification in tradition that would make everyone happy.
Cozy slippers and flannel pajamas brought this precious one joy.
These two....
...with all of their demands for individuality....
...and requests for recognition of uniqueness...
...brought these two people....
...unbridled....
...wide-open.....
....gut-erupting JOY.
I believe this is a tradition we will keep.
Until, of course, they figure out that the pajamas purchased...
...were more for us than them.
2 comments:
there is something supremely fishy going on.
the little blog list thingy on my blog has been waiting days to tell me when you have done a new post. so by that time, it is somewhere in the middle of the list so i fail to notice it. cause for some reason it doesn't automatically realize that you updated and go to the top of the list like all the others. i just realized this is what was going on, cause for a while i just thought you were m.i.a. alas, technology was just failing us.
a real 2010 mystery.
E-
Scooby Doo should be summoned. : )
I'm so glad there was joy in your Christmas. Your family so deserves it.
Joni
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