With all the rushing around to decorate, buy gifts, pull out those Christmas sweaters, and bake those once-a-year cookies. it is often hard to keep the sprituality of the season in mind. It is also a time that is sad for many who have lost loved ones or suffered a tragedy at this time of year in the past.
One person I know found a way to confront those feelings in her family and was willing to share it with all of you. It is a wonderful idea and I am sure filled with emotion.
Heidi's tradition:
The one thing that seems to help is our Christmas Box. It's a simple shoebox (heaven knows I have plenty of those) I decorated that we use to put little thought into. These little messages are written sometime before dinner and we take time read them out loud on Christmas day during desert when everyone is too full to leave the table.
I usually assign a family member to make sure that everyone writes at least one thing to put in the box. The tradition started in 1994 on the anniversary of my mother's death.
The messages can be to loved ones we have lost, to one another around the table, they can be memories of Christmases past, our favorite holiday, vacation, or gift or just about anything. It just needs to be something that stirs our emotions and also conversation.
The only thing better than our Christmas Box is our Thanksgiving Box. My family looks forward to this part of the day I think more than even opening presents. It is sometimes very gut wrenching, but I can tell you that no one in my family has ever had to have therapy! It has brought us closer together and it is even more fun when you see people really get into it.
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