Christmas traditions are important.
They strengthen family and personal bonds. They also link one generation to the next. When parents pass on activities such as baking tasty treats, watching holiday specials, or decorating a Christmas tree, they pass on values, faith and identity. These experiences allow families to slow down, reconnect and appreciate one another. For children, traditions provide a sense of stability and joy. By sharing traditions with the next generation, it ensures that the message of Christmas endures.
Rooted in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, these traditions carry spiritual, cultural and emotional significance. Practices such as attending church services or singing Christmas carols reminds us of the humble birth of Jesus. They help believers connect with their faith by reflecting on values such as humility, compassion, forgiveness and peace.
Christmas traditions also promote generosity and kindness. Giving gifts or doing things for others reminds people of the importance of selflessness and gratitude. By giving to others, whether by a charitable donation, volunteering, or helping those who are lonely or struggling, it shows that Christmas is more than about us and more than about “stuff.”
The true meaning of Christmas is preserved through tradition while bringing families and communities together by nurturing faith, strengthening relationships, encouraging generosity and upholding meaningful values.
There are as many holiday traditions as there are people so whatever you and your family do, no matter how big or small, do it with enthusiasm and joy, and with the knowledge that you are creating lasting memories for yourself and your family.
So, what’s your favorite tradition? Here are a few from local Mississippians:
Christmas Morning Breakfast
Every year we go to Waffle House on Christmas morning with my dad. The tradition started when we were young. My dad was a single parent of two and the only place open on Christmas was Waffle House. The three of us would eat breakfast there together before heading to his parents’ house for a Christmas day party. It was our “calm before the chaos” of Christmas day. Even now, 30+ years later, we still meet my dad at Waffle House for Christmas breakfast. Now it’s a tradition for my kids – to have Waffle House breakfast with Paw Paw after seeing what Santa left. It’s my favorite tradition.
— Sara Hollis, Pascagoula
Advent Daily Activity
My personal Christmas tradition is doing advent calendars. I’ve always loved puzzles and once I accidentally ordered an advent one – and I loved it! Each day I would do a portion of the puzzle until it was completed. This year I am doing a Lego advent calendar in which every day I put together a piece of the Nativity. I enjoy doing this because it gives me something to look forward to each day of Advent. It’s fun to take a few minutes out of each day to do something small and end up with a completed project.
—Kristi Phelps, Gautier
Dinner, a Movie and Three Gifts
We have a few Christmas traditions in our family. Our season starts the day after Thanksgiving when we go cut down a Christmas tree. We sing carols there and back and sometimes take the family dogs with us. This year we were blessed to take along our first grandchild.
Another family tradition is going to dinner and a movie on Christmas Eve. We started doing this in 2005 after Katrina. The children were young and we were still in rebuilding mode so to give ourselves a break, we went out to dinner and a movie (the theaters weren’t very crowded then). We loved it and thought, let’s do this every year.
We always discussed with our children what was the most important part about Christmas – the birth of Jesus and that He is the reason for the season. Just like Jesus was given three gifts upon his birth, our children received three gifts each year. This practice started in 1994 when we had our first child and continues to this day. They never complained or asked for more and it was our precious way to celebrate our Savior’s birth.
The whole family looks forward to these traditions, and as they are getting older, I hope our children carry on with these traditions.
–Melanie Martin, Pascagoula
