By Sherma-Jacqueline Felix
During this time of year, a lot of people think about traditions. My family does as well. When my daughter was younger, one of her favorite traditions was to be able to stay up until midnight, so that she could choose one of her gifts to open then, and leave the rest for Christmas Day.
When my son was a toddler, he would drag the wrapping paper off of everyone’s gifts himself sitting by the Christmas tree. On 2 separate Christmases, he actually pulled the Christmas tree down, and somehow he got to sit on the side as he watched it crashing down. (I still to this day don’t know how a toddler could have done that!)
Another tradition of ours is to wear our brand new Christmas pajamas, get in the car and head to the Starbucks’ drive through for our family’s annual Christmas Eve hot chocolate and light-viewing celebration.
Sure, we could have made hot chocolate at home. I’m also sure that we could have looked at the lights on our street and in our sub-division as well. But if you’re an elementary age child, wearing new Christmas pajamas, with a blanket, cuddled in the back seat of the jeep, on your way to get hot chocolate, and then driving around to view all the homes with their fancy Christmas lights ~ that’s just about the greatest thing ever!
Many people have other traditions that they hold true to, year after year, after year. To me, the best tradition of all is something I try to do daily. That is spending time with the One and only Jesus, the One Who started it all. It’s His birth that we celebrate at Christmas, and it is He Who holds everything up by the word of His power!
The Merriam Webster Dictionary explains the word “tradition” as:
“An inherited, established or customary pattern of thought, action or behavior.”
Spending time in the Word of God daily, or as often as you can, is the best course of action that we can ever establish! Choosing to pour His Word into our hearts day after day, month after month, year after year, makes our lives that much more fulfilling.
If that’s not a practice of yours right now, then consider beginning it as soon as possible! As a challenge to myself, I started off just intending to read the Bible every day for 30 days to see if it would change anything for me, because my life was in such a mess. It turns out that I wasn’t counting the days to see when 30 days were up, and so I never really stopped reading, because I fell in love with the Word of God. Now, over 20 years later I can truly say that my life has been drastically changed.
This Christmas season, add the daily study of God’s Word to your tradition list if you’re not already doing it. Things will change for you. They probably won’t change overnight, but they will change. Not only that, you will change. Things that used to bother you will fall off of you like water on a duck’s back. Things that used to appeal to you, suddenly will have lost their spark. Habits that you’ve always wanted to get rid off, will seem easier than ever to let go of.
Let’s keep our family traditions alive, but also add something new. Christmas has traditionally been known as a time for loving, giving, caring, sharing, family, and spreading joy. However, don’t you think that these behaviors should be something that we do year round? How about loving, caring, sharing, and spreading joy every chance we get? What a change that would bring to others, and to us as well!
All Glory to God for His indescribable gift Jesus! Glory to Him for the season of the year where the whole world pauses to celebrate His birth. As we celebrate, let’s plan on continuing or beginning, the tradition of spending time daily in His Word. That way, when Christmas rolls around next year, we will have even more to celebrate!
So from my family to yours: Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy, Healthy, Wealthy and Spirit filled New Year!
About the author: 
Sherma-Jacqueline is a Bible Teacher, Conference Speaker, Mentor, and Passionate Writer. She has always enjoyed writing, and started off by keeping a diary in her teens. She began prayer journaling over 18 years ago and began teaching on Prayer 12 years ago. Her desire is to see the women of God rise up and be all that they’re called to be: Bold, Strong, Courageous and overflowing with His Word!
Visit her at: shermajacqueline.tumblr.com