Link by Link/Flake by Flake

"The rolling of cookie dough and cutting out of snowflakes is so much more important than it seems to us at the time".

The above was stated by my daughter, Laura, 16, in a recent talk she wrote for the Ladies' Retreat at our parish.

The first time I heard it, it struck my heart and filled me with JOY; and, of course, my eyes with tears; the good kind.

Today, our little Advent Calendar said that we were to "make Christmas chains and put shoes outside bedroom doors for tomorrow's Feast of St. Nicholas".

The children were SO excited! Each year, we do these things. They are treasured Dudich Traditions.

We make simple red and green Christmas chains from art paper and hang them in the doorways between our kitchen/dining/and living room areas! They are SO FESTIVE! We also fill our kitchen with hanging, homemade snowflakes; and we add some of these to the large picture window in our dining room, as well.

Today, as we were crafting and laughing and talking together, Mary Helen suggested that we might be able to save the chains from year to year if we could find a way to store them without smashing them.

Immediately, Laura chimed in and said, "Awww...but that would take all the fun out of it...making a new one each year is our tradition...it wouldn't be the same if we just hung the same old one up every time."

I agreed.

At that moment, Mary Helen was stapling the chains together for us.

I smiled and said to her, "You know, Mary Helen, Laura is right...it's about the process of gathering 'round this table, all together, year after year to share this experience during the Advent Season. And...it's a right of passage in a way, as well. For instance, just a handful years ago, you were too young to staple these links together...and now look at you!"

All the Littles began to exclaim, "Next year, I will use the stapler Mommy! Next year, may I? Will I be old enough to make the chains next year?!?"

One of my best friends adds a unique twist to the "Christmas Chain" idea in her family. Rather than draping them across the doorways, as we do, they hang theirs vertically, like one long chain and add as many links as there are days in Advent. Inside each link, they write the name of someone they'd like to keep in their prayers.
Then, every day, counting down toward Christmas, they remove one link and pray for the person whose name is inside.

Isn't that lovely?

Family traditions are SO important and significant. Don't let the opportunity pass you by to start some, renew some, or continue to enjoy the time/tested/best-loved ones in your house.

My hubby always tears up at Fiddler On the Roof when Tevye sings his big song about "TRADITION!"

Of course, that whole movie is about a new generation trying do away with the old traditions and make new ones for themselves. I suppose that's ok to a point...but I'd like it if, interspersed with the new traditions, some of the old ones can be kept, too.

This evening, each of my children placed a shoe outside his/her bedroom door. Tomorrow (actually, 20 minutes from now, as I'm typing this post late at night) will be the Feast of St. Nicholas. Our tradition is to celebrate this wonderful man of God by filling the children's shoes with treats while they sleep.
This was the first "Christmas stocking" in olden days...and it still delights the kids (big and small, alike) today!

We will read about St. Nicholas and ponder the virtues that he most exemplifies...compassion, kindness toward others, help to the poor and destitute, etc...we will enjoy a coloring page and watch a video/cartoon about St. Nick.

Laura "gets it". She is right on target.

The little moments, spent together, preparing our hearts and home for Christmas are SO important.

Though the tasks may seem menial and some might be quite repetitive through the years...it is in the act...the process....the journey....the time spent as a family...centered in Christ...that the true beauty of the season lies.





P.S. I will add some photos to this post tomorrow:)