We all have them, even my Jewish friends (and yes, they all tell me it involves Chinese food and a movie, it is their stereotype, not mine). Before we had children we would attend the midnight service, come home, fill my Churchwarden with tobacco, and have a small glass of champagne in front of the fire.
Now we have an early dinner, my current dish is Cornish game hens with cranberry relish, then attend the early, children’s service, and bring them home, have chocolate crepes for desert (a byproduct of Christmas Day breakfast), and try and get them to sleep. Then we return to our prior tradition, but only after playing a bit of Santa Claus. Our son will be 8 next month and has his suspicions, but we are pleased to continue the illusion just a bit longer. Tomorrow morning after the gift frenzy we will have the wonderful sausage crepes that my wife made earlier (see the chocolate crepes referred to earlier) and then…relax.
Throughout the entire Advent season we focus upon the fact that await the coming of Jesus, then and now. This season, as always, there have been good sermons and bad, politicians abusing the faith, and clergy feeling the need to trample on orthodoxy and children’s fantasies. None of that can obscure the fact: He came as one of us, for us, so that we might live. That is the tradition that we all share.
Have a happy Christmas, whatever your tradition dictates, and may the blessings of Christ be with you all.
