We are usually traveling around this time of year. We didn’t last year because Sean had a busy work week and we had a pretty big snow storm. We didn’t go anywhere for Thanksgiving this year because of Weston’s arrival. I miss traveling and seeing Sean’s family. The kids miss it too and Sean missed hunting season altogether. Bad timing to have a baby I guess and everyone has their own family gatherings and busy schedules to travel up here. Hopefully we will be able to travel again in March and see everyone. This year we were able to spend an evening with my dad’s family and a morning with my mom’s family. It was nice seeing my relatives and introducing Weston to my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandmas.
This time of year is hard for the girls to understand. TV shows, stores, and books are filled with images of Santa Claus. People come up to my girls all of the time asking what Santa is bringing them. They have been pretty bold at explaining to people that Santa isn’t real. We have had to watch them around other kids, as I know there have been some debates about it and other parents usually aren’t too excited when someone is trying to convince their Santa believing child that there is no such thing. This is a hot topic for a lot of people whether or not to do Santa, we just decided it was not for us. Lots of reasons, but mainly our concern is convincing a child Santa is real only to reveal the lie at about the same age they are coming to an understanding belief in Christ. We would rather not plant a lie and then try to convince them of the truth of a Savior they can’t see visually either.
I will be honest with you…my kids really don’t even know why Christmas is celebrated. We talked about why there is a holiday of Christmas and what others believe. I told them that people think that it was when Jesus was born and we read in the Bible about his birth and the events surrounding it. There is a really good chance Jesus wasn’t even born in December…more so it was when it was conceived , but as for the exact date no one really knows the exact date (reasons why it wasn’t in December- shepherds weren’t in the fields watching their flocks in December, census’ weren’t taken in December due to the cold temperatures and bad traveling conditions, the inns typically weren’t full in the cold months) but I guess people celebrate all sorts of things on random dates…secretaries day, half birthdays, teacher appreciation day etc. The Bible doesn’t tell us when Jesus was born, but a date was set and people celebrate it. Kind of sad though that the date chosen coincides with a pagan holiday honoring the god Saturn. The Bible doesn’t tell us to celebrate his birth, nor does it tell us not to celebrate his birth. Kind of a tricky matter and so everyone just has to figure out what they feel right celebrating and doing.
We have decided to participate in family events and some of the other traditions, but we maintain an understanding that these traditions are men’s and are not particularly accurate in regard to the story of Christ’s coming to dwell among men. Yes it is an important thing to remember that Christ was born and it is important to understand the story. His death and resurrection are far more important though, because without him dying on the cross and providing a payment for our sins, there wouldn’t be such a thing as eternal life for us who believe.
That is my two cents on the holiday.
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| Who needs toys when you have boxes? |
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| Weston at 4 weeks....kind of scary |
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| Weston at 3 weeks |
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