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My parents had a rule about December twenty-fifth: No one could so much as touch one present until after we had attended Christmas morning Mass together. We five children prowled around the tree, longing to dive into the inviting pile of gifts, but Mom and Dad stood their ground. Though I admit to having been somewhat distracted at those Masses, my parents’ insistence ingrained in us something deep and lasting: It taught us that Jesus comes first.
My parents taught by example more than words, so I saw the rule as just one of our family’s particular Christmas customs. Later, I came to understand that there was a reason behind it: They had taken a stand—they were expressing their decision to put Christ’s birth at the center of our celebration.
Since becoming a parent, I, too, have made the wonderful discovery that I can take a stand and have an influence on my children, their present, and their future. And especially at this time of year, I think about the staying power of good traditions. If cherished family rituals are chosen wisely, they go a long way in teaching children how to live and act.
And so I ask: What Christmas customs can point our children to Jesus? What kinds of practices will help form Christ in…
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