There is something profoundly comforting about the rituals we return to each December. Whether it’s baking a recipe passed down through generations, watching the same Christmas film year after year, or gathering around the table to retell familiar stories, these traditions remind us of who we are and where we’ve come from. They root us in memory, in family, and in faith.
Proverbs reminds us, “Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend” (Proverbs 27:10). In other words, honor the relationships and heritage that have shaped you. Advent is not only about waiting for Christ’s coming—it is also about remembering how God has been faithful in the past. When we uphold family traditions, we participate in that remembering.
Consider how the Gospel of Luke tells the nativity story (Luke 2:1–20). Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem because of a decree that had been handed down for generations. The shepherds kept watch, as they had done countless nights before. And into those ordinary rhythms, God broke in with extraordinary news. Traditions, even the simple ones, can become places where God meets us.
So this season, don’t feel pressured to invent something new or dazzling. Instead, lean into the practices that have carried meaning for years. Bake that old recipe. Sing the carols your grandparents loved. Read the nativity story aloud. In doing so, you are not just keeping family customs alive—you are keeping alive the memory of God’s faithfulness and the hope of Christ’s coming.
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