Christmas Legacy

I’ve really enjoyed every Christmas of my life. Most of these years were spent in my parent’s home back in Harmony, Pennsylvania (if anyone is moving to the Pittsburgh area I know of a great house you might be interested in). Most years we would have snow on the ground and we would open our presents, play with these presents and head outside for a good time in the snow (sled riding, snowball fights, snowmen, and snow angels).

Last Sunday, or several Sunday’s ago, in Bible class we were led in a discussion about legacy. This got me thinking about how I want Christmas to be remembered in my family. This takes me to Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase. This was my roommate’s favorite movie while we were at Harding. I’m not sure it still is but I now “have” to watch this movie every year. It gets me into the Christmas spirit. Not the baby Jesus sort of spirit but the spirit of family and presents and stress.

Here’s a list of what I want to do each and every Christmas season:
watch Christmas Vacation, read several Christmas classics (The Night Before Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Frosty the Snowman), watch It’s a Wonderful Life as a family while drinking hot cocoa, read the story of Christ’s birth from the gospels, eat a big family dinner (ham or turkey), watch a Macy’s Christmas Day Parade, open presents, watch Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty, Grinch, and Rudolph, listen to good Christmas music (none of that Manheim Steamroller crap), eat a big breakfast with orange and cinnamon sweet rolls, call Macy’s grandparents and great-grandparents, send a Christmas letter and/or picture card, give money to Angel Tree (or some other organization like it), go to a Christmas Eve service at my church, and spend time as a family.