Family Traditions at Christmas

Someone recently asked me what I enjoy most about the Christmas season. My answer? Family traditions. Like cutting down a Christmas Tree at Grabhorn Tree Farm the weekend after Thanksgiving. Or walking through the lights at Peacock Lane in mid-December. Singing carols on Christmas Eve. Watching movies like White Christmas and Home Alone. These are the sorts of things that bring December to life for me. Things that I’ve been doing since childhood, and that now I get to do with my own children.

But not all my traditions date back to my family of origin, some I’ve picked up along the way. During our pandemic Christmas in 2020, for example, my wife Molly suggested that we make homemade pizzas on Christmas Eve, and now we look forward to it every year. Nothing says Christmas quite like a pepperoni pizza in the shape of a candy cane, am I right?

The holiday traditions of my childhood are rich with nostalgia, but creating new Christmas traditions with our kids has been an unexpected delight.

One of our favorite new family traditions is an annual event that is taking place this Sunday, right here at BCC – Winter Wonderland! While this tradition is a newer one for me, it has loomed large in the lives of my kids these past few years. They love the lights, and the Christmas movie characters. The face painting, and the crafts. The live Nativity, and photos with Santa. Seeing their dad dressed up in a wacky Christmas costume. It’s a magical night for them.

It's a magical night for me too, but for different reasons. For me, Winter Wonderland is special because it gives us a chance to celebrate together as a church family. To spread the love and joy of Jesus in our neighborhood. And to give the gifts of fun and laughter to the families of Beaverton. That’s a pretty magical thing to be part of.

So, for all of you who (like me) have made Winter Wonderland a tradition for your family in recent years, we’ll see you in a couple of days! And if you haven’t yet…this is a great year to start!

We look forward to celebrating with you from 5-7pm this Sunday evening at BCC.

Merry Christmas!

Peter Holmes
Pastor of Families