traditions, grace, and truth
Christmas Eve 2025
“What Christmas traditions do you have?” my students asked a couple of weeks ago. I rattled off a few: pajamas on Saint Nicholas Day, homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, chick-fil-a shakes while driving around looking at Christmas lights. This is the year I felt a shift in some of what we do. The kids are older and I am working full time, and if I am not careful I let the mom-guilt overwhelm me. Although I had my students listen to some excerpts of Handel’s Messiah in my classroom, my own children and I did not make it through our usual daily journey of such beautiful music. I set out my pie plate filled with Advent candles, but we only sang a hymn and read a hope-focused Scripture in the warm glow one Sunday evening out of four. Even Christmas Eve this year is different as my oldest is off in a few minutes to worship practice to play keyboard and sing where is still a member, and I am trying to figure out how early a non-church worker shows up to a church she’s never been to on one of the most-likely-to-have-people-attend-church days of the year. I remind myself that after this year there is only one more year left after this with our oldest as a “kid.” He assures me I did not mess anything up this year by not doing some of our regular things. The tree is up. The gingerbread house is made. The cookies are baked and decorated. All because he took the lead on those things. Surprisingly, there is beauty and comfort in the realization that Christmas magic need not depend on Mom.
Reflecting on the last few weeks, I smile and breathe. We made it to the Messiah Sing-In this year for the first time. I made 100 cinnamon rolls for my 9th graders. My husband and I tag-teamed gift-wrapping and he took the lead on gift-purchases for our sons. There are two kinds of cinnamon rolls prepared for tomorrow morning and his famous salsa in the fridge for tonight. At some point tonight I will (hopefully) light five candles, and we will sing something together before we hunker down with It’s A Wonderful Life. It is still Christmas, regardless of altered or missed or still-going-strong traditions. Christ has come and Christ will come again. Neither of those facts are dependent on my abilities, talents, or traditions. Jesus came as the true light of the world, shining in the darkness, and gave the right to be called children of God to all who would believe in His name. And I believe, and therefore receive from His fullness grace upon grace. His condescension, His incarnation, His work for our redemption, is the gift of Christmas. May we by faith be changed by the grace and truth found in Jesus Christ alone this Christmas and in the coming year. Come, behold the wondrous mystery In the dawning of the king He the theme of Heaven's praises Robed in frail humanity In our longing, in our darkness Now, the light of life has come Look to Christ who condescended Took on flesh to ransom us Come, behold the wondrous mystery He is the perfect son of man In His living, in His suffering Never trace nor stain of sin See the true and better Adam Come to save the hell-bound man Christ, the great and sure fulfilment Of the law in Him, we stand Come, behold the wondrous mystery Christ, the Lord upon the tree In the stead of ruined sinners Hangs the lamb in victory See the price of our redemption See the Father's plan unfold Bringing many sons to glory Grace unmeasured, love untold Come, behold the wondrous mystery Slain by death, the God of life But no grave could ever restrain Him Praise the Lord, He is alive What a foretaste of deliverance How unwavering our hope Christ in power resurrected As we will be when He comes (song by Keith and Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, and Matt Papa)