So tomorrow begins the December Challenge! I wanted to get input from as many people as possible, so I've rearranged my thinking several times. I know that not everyone celebrates Christmas as I do. Some celebrate Hanukkah, others have different celebrations or none in December.
I have celebrated Christmas all my life as the recognition of the birth of Christ. One memorable year, when I was 8, I celebrated Hanukkah with my friend Mady. Before going, my mother explained the Festival of Lights to me and the miracle of one day's oil lasting the 8 days it took to purify more oil. It was a wonderful story and I have delighted in researching and learning more over the years.
So this month as we mark our celebrations, I would like to hear your traditions. What is the special meaning behind the traditions in your home? What do you do to prepare for your holiday? Who started the traditions.
I'd like a different tradition or memory that changed your outlook on the holiday each of the 21 first days of the month. If you can't think of enough to fill the days, then tell me in this special month what you will be doing to reach out to others less fortunate than yourselves.
You can leave your daily comments here or write them up in your journal and leave a link here for me. I need to apologize to Vagabondevermore whose thankfulness came in some e-mails that I totally missed when I went searching to send them back. I am so sorry. I hope you can forgive me.
Starting tomorrow morning, I will begin to post my memories and traditions for you. I hope you will join me with enthusiasm.
Be blessed this evening, my friends, I love you all.
18 comments:
Sounds like fun!
Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink
Sounds like fun. I'll do my best to get here every day!
Wonderful challenge! Thinking of things to write about as we speak....thank you for doing this :)
betty
Wow....... this sounds like a great challenge... I don't think I will spread it over 21 days... but I will do a few throughout and then do one main entry (which I was gonna do anyway) Thanks!
d
PS thanks for displaying the lighthouse :)
http://journals.aol.com/nightmaremom/Thisandthatandhockey/
LOL Ok, my December Challenge - A Christmas Story
http://journals.aol.com/nightmaremom/Thisandthatandhockey/entries/589
This is a very nice idea! Oh that there were 36 hours in the day!
Maryanne
Ah, what a nice idea for an Advent Calendar. Christmas for me began as it usually does with most people, following our parents tradition. My parents weren't big church goers, daddy never went, although growing up he was Catholic, but daddy had a lot of grudges he carried from childhood. Mom's parents were church goers, but you know how it is when your with a man that doesn't go to church, eventually you tend to stop going yourself. I'll write more about this in my journal and post a link. We had a tree and Christmas Stockings, always good food along with some candy, not much though, kids didn't get much candy back then and we usually got one gift and something to wear. We definately celebrated because it was the celebrated birthday of Jesus. Someone always read the bible and when I was able to read I loved reading the part where the passage says; "and she brought forth her first born son and layed him in the manger because there was no room for them in the end.: See how things stick with you. I'll probably never forget that pharse. Thanks for taking me back here.
Marlene-PurelyPoetry
http:journals.aol.com/mkolasa101/PurelyPoetry
Here is Day Two. Of course, Day One was posted on your Advent Calender post.
Happy Friday and Happy December 2nd - Here's the link to my December 2nd post. Hope it fits the mold. I'm backtracking through all my Christmas' looking for what I celebrate the most at Christmas time. I know the reason for the season is Jesus yet somehow Christmas doens't quite meet that bill that much anymore unles you see it as the Birth of Christ in each of us individually and collectively. Then they way we celebrate begins to make sense. We are honoring the Christ in us and the Christ in others. The fact that we have carried on these traditions for so many years, passed them on and on and on so to speak speaks volumes. Here's the link to my today's post:
http://journals.aol.com/mkolasa101/PurelyPoetry/entries/2398
Day Three.
Hi, sorry I missed posting on Day 3 but here's a Ginger Bread House post for Day 4.
http://journals.aol.com/mkolasa101/PurelyPoetry/entries/2401
Dearest Penny,
Hi! What a great entry! thanks!
I am kida' swamped right now but I want to:1. rad the ones here and then hopefully 2. write mine up and post a link here later! hugs
natalie
Hi Penny,
I grew up in a confusing home..so really I don't recall tradition at home. Now that I have my own family and getting my act together..well hopefully I can start my own tradition with my kids. My eldest just did her first xmas decorations last night..so we might just do that every year. I told her she'll get better the more she do it..and imagine she's only fifteen..she decorated 7.5 foot tall trees without help from me.
I'll be on this side reading everyone else's traditions.
Happy Holidays,
Gem :-)
Here is day four and five and six...although I don't know how I missed three days! So I've shared a special lesson day for you all!
http://journals.aol.com/mutualaide/LifeOnFlamingoRow/entries/1158
Well I do Hanukkah and here is a link with alittle of what we do.We eat a meal and have gifts on that day celebrating the light and extra gift of oil and God cleansing. Here is a link to my journal.................. its link on hanukkah
http://journals.aol.com/my78novata/LorisLaurels/entries/1508
I'm working on my Christmas post .... will share the link later.
Wonderful idea!
http://journals.aol.com/gullspirit/PerishTheThought/
I've been posting pretty regularly on the line of an Advent Calendar - December Challange post. Missed only a couple of days but up and running again. Thanks for doing having this wonderful challange my dear.
Marlene-PurelyPoetry
http://journals.aol.com/mkolasa101/PurelyPoetry
http://journals.aol.com/mutualaide/LifeOnFlamingoRow/entries/1178
Hi Penny! I got off track a bit, but here is my last Challenge entry. Thanks for a great idea and a fun exercise!
Kathy
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