Christmas Traditions

My favorite tradition is…. 

It truly is the most wonderful time of year and one of the greatest reasons to celebrate is upon us-the birth of our Lord and Savior! It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping, cooking, and giftwrapping, but Northshore Christian Academy wants to encourage you to think about a few things: What about the joy and magic of the Christmas season? Do you and your family make time for special moments to reflect on the birth of Jesus? Do you take time to do things for others, or give to a local charity? What are other traditions that your family may be able to start implementing?  

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting father, Prince of Peace. 

 

Isaiah 9:6  

We recently caught up with a few of our teachers and asked them what their favorite Christmas traditions are and why. We pray that your heart is encouraged and inspired, and more than anything, we pray that you and your family get a chance to pause and take time to remember why we celebrate this season. Who knows, just maybe one of these traditions our teachers shared will soon become your family's new favorite tradition!  

Camille Dittemore | 2nd Grade  

"One of my favorite highlights of the Christmas season is our annual trip to the tree farm to find the perfect Christmas tree. When my husband and I first got married, we knew this was a tradition we wanted to carry into our family life, and now that our kids are part of the adventure, it’s even more special. We bundle up and spend the whole morning wandering through Stocker Farms in Snohomish, scouting trees with hilarious and creative names that keep the kids laughing as they search. Once we’ve claimed our tree, we warm up with hot chocolate by the bonfire before heading home. Then the real fun starts! We turn up the Christmas music, bring out the ornaments, and decorate our beautiful tree to officially kick off the season. It’s a joyful, memory-making start to Christmas every year! "

Laura Beasley | 5th Grade

"Each Christmas season, our two boys eagerly (and not always peacefully) take part in our family's cherished tradition of decorating the Jesse Tree. Each night leading up to Christmas, they take turns hanging a special ornament on the tree, each one representing a different person or story from the Bible—starting with Adam and Eve and ending with the birth of Jesus. As they place each ornament, we read a short passage from Scripture and share how that person or event points to the coming of the Messiah. The boys especially love placing the ornament for David, imagining the bravery of the young shepherd who became a king. Through this hands-on tradition, our sons learn how God's plan unfolded through generations, building excitement for the birth of Christ. The Jesse Tree not only decorates our home, but also fills our hearts with wonder and faith during the Advent season. Over time, these simple evenings have become one of our most treasured family memories! "

Nadia Riell | 8th Grade 

"One of my favorite things is a family tradition we have that we do every year. We put up our Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving and decorate it and deck it all out! Then, we enjoy a bunch of seasonal yummy snacks and drinks, and we start to decorate the rest of our house for Christmas over the course of the entire weekend! It's such a special and joy-filled time with lots of memories each year with my kids and family! "

We want to leave you with this encouragement: don't let the busyness of this time of year make you forget why we celebrate. We have an unending, eternal joy! Make time for loved ones, for neighbors, and for those in need. We wish you the warmest, sweetest, merriest Christmas from all of us at Northshore Christian Academy!