May your days be merry and light

I'm American. I like new stuff. And I love Christmas. The whole thing is wrapped up in God and family and presents and food and time to relax and special songs and claymation tv events from the 60's.

We have special Christmas plates at my house. I know those plates will still be around when I get home, but it kind of strikes me how we might not need them. I am really curious to see what Christmas will be when I am in charge of it. I wonder, actually, if I'll ever be in charge of my own Christmas. Will it suck? When I grow up I want square plates in black and grass green. Can you have turkey on that, or does it beg something else? Ham? Greek salad? Who even knows?

For the record, I'm not an antitraditionalist. I like traditions. I just like to create my own. I view traditions as I view socks. We all need them, but I don't really want somebody else's. I'd like to break my own in, thanks. Maybe I'll retain a good deal of those of my predacessors. Maybe I won't. At Granny's house we have gumbo for Christmas. Those are fairly new socks, actually, and I think they are kind of flashy. I like them.

For me, traditions draw people together. They give something to look forward to and something to reminisce about. Remember the time that the tree fell over on Christmas day? Yeah, it kind of messed with a tradition (that is, we usually choose when to take the tree down), but it actually created a memory as a result. I like the flexibilityand fluidity of the unknown in the way we live these things year-to-year.

So, as I'm going to buy some new-house stuff at IKEA for myself for Christmas tomorrow, I'll think about you all. I'll know that Santa is slipping things down chimneys and through keyholes. I'll be aware of your turkey dinners and pecan pies. I'll even long for a hot cup of cider and a cheesy sweatshirt to make fun of. And, in the end, I'll be there next time. So, yes, I am breaking tradition this year. I'm living in a country that doesn't even have Christmas besides a sales ploy. And even so, I know that this day will be special.

It's only once a year, after all, that I tell Jesus happy birthday. May I never forget to thank Him for coming. Some traditions are bigger than others.

T