Traditions amidst Transience: How Christmas reminds me of who I am

I really love Christmas. Not for the presents, and certainly not for the sudden cold weather, but for the tradition. It’s like a yearly opportunity to come back to the essentials in the midst of the chaos of the year. And in my transient life, this season feels like a lifeline for my soul to cling to when everything is different every single year. In my family, Christmas means Jesus and music and family time and parties. Pretty much 4 of my favorite things.

Honestly, for me, Christmas is a reminder of who I am. No matter how crazy the year is, Christmas brings me back to the basics of myself. I’ve listened to the same core Christmas albums since I was in middle school. So every year at this time that music not only resonates because of its familiarity, but because of the continuity that it represents. For better or worse, I’ve listened to Avalon, Point of Grace, Amy Grant and Transiberian Orchestra’s Christmas albums every year for almost 2 decades (I added in Michael Buble and Pentatonix Christmas albums to the core group on “shuffle” over the past decade). They really are all awesome albums. 

Just as much as this time of year reminds me of what hasn’t changed over the years, I’m very acutely aware of just how much has. 

Since I was 18 years old, I’ve lived in 13 different homes, in 5 different states, not including college. I’m 28 now, almost 29. So much has changed in a decade that I honestly could barely recognize my life, apart from those Christmas albums. I haven’t even worked the same job for more than a year; every year I go to a different office Christmas party. It’s why this time of year always leaves me a little  (read: a lot) homesick for all the places I called home, and all the experiences that would have become traditions if I’d been in the same place long enough. 

If I still lived in Wheaton, I would go to the Christmas Concert in Edman Chapel, and go caroling with friends. If I still lived in Charleston, I’d go to the Christmas Lights festival at the James Island park and enjoy the festivities with friends. If I still lived in Asheville, I’d go to the Grove Park Inn and see the Gingerbread houses, and listen to the live music in front of massive fireplaces, and attend/sing in a Christmas Eve candlelight service. If I still lived in Manhattan (KS), I would enjoy the Little Apple Tree Lighting, and singing carols on Sunday mornings. I live in Missouri this year, and I’m having a Cookie Exchange party. And next year, we will live somewhere different. So far the only tradition that’s been consistent over the past few years is enjoying the Hallmark Christmas movies (no shame). 

But while it looks different every year, the act of celebrating Jesus with others is at the heart of the season, and that is a tradition in and of itself.  

It’s important to recognize change and understand just how much it affects you. I’m a fan of change, usually. But relatively little in my life is consistent year to year, besides my dogs, my family, my Christmas music, and Jesus. So that’s what I come back to every year to keep me grounded. Every year Cora gets a Christmas stocking with treats; I get assigned a name to buy a gift for our Moss family Christmas (and someone gets my name); my parents always say “don’t get me anything this year”; and I spend more time with Jesus, and the Transiberian orchestra. 

I guess those are pretty good traditions after all.

What are yours? How do you celebrate?


This is my very first full size Christmas tree in my own home (its artificial, but when you are never at home for Christmas, it seems a waste to have a real one).