Traditions Around the Holidays

By Cindy Williams, RN

Coordinator, Health Ministries

Traditions are not something we talk much about. Changes, upgrades, and improvements are pushed on us at a rapid pace and seem to make the old less needed. Yet most of us value and welcome traditions. Birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, Sunday football, and holidays are more meaningful because of traditions. 

Traditions also have a Biblical origin. God commanded the children of Israel to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles as “holidays”. He even gave them specific instructions on how to celebrate these holidays. God promised Israel that when they faithfully kept his commandments, they would live long and well. These feasts promoted spiritual health by helping the Israelites remember what God had done for them in the past and was doing in the present. They promoted mental and emotional health by providing a rich social environment in which family and friends shared meals, a trip together, and worshiping together. Physical health was enhanced by camping in fresh air as well as the long walk to get to Jerusalem.

I believe that traditions can impact our health in a profound way. And I’m not talking about the impact on our waistline from Thanksgiving dinner!

Traditions:

• Provide a sense of consistency and structure. Our world is desperately in need of this stability. We also have something to look forward to in this chaotic world.
• Provide a sense of identity and belonging. It is a setting in which we can obtain a healthy perspective on our place in the world as we realize that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. We can learn who we are as we observe others. 
• Provide an avenue to create lasting memories. These experiences shape who we are and who we will be in the future.
• Connect people to each other and strengthen family bonds. Traditions are glue that help hold a family or group of people together. We need these shared experiences.
• Remind you of what really matters. Values are reinforced through interactions with role models from all generations. You have an opportunity to pause and reflect on meaningful things.

I pray that your Christmas will be filled with meaningful traditions that draw you and your family closer to each other and to our wonderful Savior. God bless!