This post is a long time in coming, but here I am with my Christmas story.  A couple days back I challenged people to share their favorite Christmas story/memory.  I actually have two that are near and dear to my heart.  One began with my immediate family and the other began with Connie and me.

Christmas story
For a long time, Christmas eve was a very anxious time for my sister (Julie) and me.  We knew the routine:  Get cleaned up and dressed for church – Get to church about 45 to 60 minutes early to make sure we got a good seat – Sit in that crowded sanctuary…staring at our watches thinking that time had somehow slowed down – Worship – Return home and change clothes again – Mom and Julie would begin to make homemade pizza while dad and I hung out in the living room…with me scoping out the presents – Eat – and then the moment we all were waiting for…PRESENTS.  That was how things went when I was little.  But somewhere along the way (I think it happen after we graduated from high school; mom…help me out here), dad changed the routine.  After our delicious homemade pizza was consumed we retired to the living room where dad said that we are going to hear a Christmas story that he had found.  We were all surprised…but pleasantly. Through the years the story is usually a story that elicits a tear or two from people, and one that always makes you think…putting Christmas into perspective.  Eventually the story reading duties shifted and was shared among the family.  The Christmas story is a powerful, bonding moment for all of us; helping us keep everything in perspective.  Now…we have something else to look forward to.  Thank you dad.

Christmas shopping
I can not remember exactly when this tradition started or how we came across it, but it was not too long ago.  Connie and I started thinking about the money we spend on each other and then started thinking about those who get very little or nothing at all.  So we decided to change our Christmas spending habits.  Between Connie and me we decided how much money we would spend on each other.  Currently we are at $100 (that may go up this year).  Then we decided that 25% of that would be spent on each other and the other 75% had to be spent on someone else.  The stipulation here is that the someone else had to be someone we do not know or have any real connection to.  It has to be a random person or persons.  On Christmas eve, then, Connie and I would exchange gifts and reveal how we spent the other 75%.  But the thing is, we almost always "cheat"…by spending way more than 75% on others.  But we always forgive each other for "cheating".  Each year I look forward to figuring out how I am going to spend my 75%.  Last year, as part of the 75%, I bought a goat for a family in a third world country through the ELCA Good Gifts program.  We had a lot of fun with that one.  I wonder what I will do this year.

What is your Christmas story/memory?  I know that some of you are thinking about this and I look forward to reading your stories (as I am sure we all do).  Have a blessed Christmas season.

-edh-