Advent Traditions

December rolls around, bringing the season of traditions and making memories. Traditions are steeped in childhood and family memories. Perhaps this year will be a year of adjusting traditions or creating new ones for many of us.

For our family, the close of Thanksgiving brings the Advent Season. We always selected an Advent story or devotional to read each night, and my children looked forward to lighting the candles of the Advent wreath.

In the spirit of giving, we know a family that gives money to each of their children with the instruction that they are to give the money away as God leads them. Each of them works hard to do the most with the money they were given.

One of my kids’ favorite traditions is visiting their grandparents’ house. My mom would spend hours making sugar cookies with them. Here is the recipe that her mother used for those special Sugar Cookies:

Mimi’s Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookies

1 cup white sugar
1 cup of powder sugar
1 cup margarine
1 cup cooking oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs, cooking oil, and vanilla mix till smooth. Stir in dry ingredients. Chill dough. Shape in small balls (size of walnut). Press with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies barely begin to brown on edges.

My Christmas tree is full of handmade ornaments that have been created over the years. Each year, it is fun to listen to my children talk about each ornament and what they remember about making it. Some of the ornaments might not be the most beautiful, as a couple of my children were not always that gifted in the crafting area, but the ornaments still make them giggle as they share stories of making them.

For many of us, this has been a challenging year, and some of our traditions may look a bit different this season. Maybe you are missing someone or in a new place. Even if things aren’t perfect, make some memories anyway. There will be other seasons when you’ll stand by the tree, listening to your children share their memories of that Christmas that was a little weird but special in its own way. Even if memories aren’t perfect, they can still be special.