Our first Christmas, we lived in a wood paneled apartment in Beersheva, Israel. With the lack of Christmas lights and decoration around the city, I determined to turn our home into "Christmas." We found a tiny potted evergreen at the nursery, hung lights and ornaments around the house, and even colored our own festive pictures. Our traditions of "What Snowmen Do While We're Sleeping" pictures and using a crayon colored, red brick chimney have persisted. We were awakened while it was still dark by a phone call from Philip's brother Luke, following their childhood tradition of Luke being the first awake and waking everyone else. Christmas was simple, Christ-centered and full of love.
Eris spent her first Christmas surrounded by family. Both sets of grandparents and Uncle Michael cozied in our little home. Grandma and Michael joined in the drawing of adventurous snowmen. And we all journeyed to The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
Simeon's first Christmas was our first in Thailand. We didn't yet have a home. It was hot, and we had many distractions. The guest house had an extra artificial tree (the first we'd ever used), we thankfully accepted. I dug out the kids' ornaments and our "Snowmen" pictures. Philip found strings of lights in Chinatown. I found candles in the "monk baskets" section of the supermarket suitable for Advent. We managed to hold on to most of our family traditions and celebrate Jesus.
Celebrating Christmas away from extended family on a "normal" day of the week allows us to make Christmas how we want it. We are the only house with a tree (actually two, an artificial one downstairs for the church and a potted one for us). The only carols we hear our in our home or at church. The only snowflakes are hanging from our ceiling. It can be a challenge but also a blessing. We make the season special by celebrating Advent and focusing on Jesus. We get the opportunity to celebrate CHRISTmas with fewer distractions and just as much delight.
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