Cydni and Sher
Life will give us reasons to feel discouraged, disheartened and broken. We choose to take from these moments reasons to find courage, hope and wholeness. When life tries to crack us, we choose to crack up. When we are too weary, we seek strength. When life feels too dark, we remind ourselves from words in the Hebrews “we are not of them who draw back.” Rather we choose to move forward Together.
Cydni and Sher discuss stories from the scriptures, history and their own experiences finding a common truth that there is purpose, meaning and learning to be done all directed by an all powerful, wise and loving God. Come laugh with us or at us, either way we are so glad you are here.
Cydni and Sher
Christmas Traditions
Welcome to our Christmas episodes!
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Show Notes
Drip-Drip Drop, Words and Music by Matt Hoiland
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Epidode 86 - Christmas Traditions
[00:00:00]
Sher: Maybe you've noticed lines have gotten longer.
Cydni: And your patience, shorter.
Sher: The days have gotten darker.
Cydni: And your chaos, more chaos-y.
Sher: Your bank account, a little smaller.
Cydni: And your jolly, jolly-less.
Sher: So, we invite you to join us and pause.
Cydni: Remember, this isn't a season of must haves to-do's and next day shipping.
Sher: It's the season to reflect and to remember our Redeemer.
Cydni: To recall, rejoice and reverence in the Light of the World's message.
This is Cydni
Sher: and I'm Sher, and we invite you to join us. for a few minutes each Tuesday and Thursday in December for a special Christmas message.
Cydni: To make your Christmas a little more Christ-massy.
Sher: As you know, Sydney, my mom and dad absolutely loved Christmas. They adored everything about it. They loved the planning, the sewing, the baking and the [00:01:00] crafting. They made dried apples, beef jerky, pajamas, and quilts. My dad loved creating toys and gifts from wood, and something our family did that was a little different was we didn't hang socks for Santa. My parents made boots for us instead. Along the shelf, each of us had our own Santa boot to set out for Christmas. At the end of every Christmas day, my dad always planned a treasure hunt for us. That is where we'd find the big gift. His clues really weren't the best, but the hunt was so much fun. And it became such a great and fun tradition for us. More than anything though, My parents cherished Christmas because they loved celebrating Christ's birth. They were born during the Great Depression and grew up during World War II, so their childhood Christmases were very simple and sparse.
Those lean years made them appreciate the joy of sharing and giving when they were able to. On my mom's side of the family, we still hold a Christmas party the Saturday before Christmas. Every year we hear the [00:02:00] same story about my mom and aunt and uncle's childhoods, we laugh because we all know it by heart, but it's part of our tradition. Then on Christmas Eve, my mom, she'd always tell the same story again, just to make sure we hadn't forgotten about it.
So now I'm going to keep that tradition going. My grandparents had eight children and very little money. Each year they would chop down their own tree and make handmade decorations, including strings of popcorn.
On Christmas day, they would give all eight children a single coloring book to share and a box of crayons. Each child also received their own orange. Which was considered a very treasured gift. My mom would make her orange last for days, eating just one slice at a time. One year, on Christmas Day, a family's car broke down near my grandparents home. My grandpa went out to help fix the car, while my grandma welcomed the mother and children inside. Despite having so little themselves, my grandparents shared what they had. The children shared their [00:03:00] coloring book, their crayons, and even their precious oranges. My mom remembers feeling so sorry for that family because they had even less than her family. But she also felt gratitude that they could share what little they had.
It was a tough period of history, but my mom always spoke about the love in their home. Though they had very little, they were generous and rich in the knowledge and gospel of Christ. They worked together, sang, danced, laughed, and supported one another.
My grandparents built a home full of love, joy, and faith. And I'm so grateful to come from such an incredible family. To this day, our family carries on many of these traditions. At our annual Christmas party, everyone gets an orange. On Christmas day, my family still gets a coloring book and crayons, which we sometimes share with each other. And of course we all get an orange in our Christmas boots, just as we always have.
These traditions remind us of the love and faith [00:04:00] that have been passed down through generations. The point of the story isn't to feel sorry that my grandparents didn't have much. Instead, it's to celebrate that their family was built on love, togetherness, and faith. They taught us the importance of taking time to Sing, dance, laugh, rejoice, and celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Whether your family is large or small, we encourage and challenge you to start your own traditions or keep the ones you have to celebrate the season. Celebrate the Savior in your own way. Show your joy, that unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
This is our prayer.
Cydni: from Cydni and Sher