The Case for Preserving Christmas Traditions and Customs

In this day of quick fix solutions, short term bandages on all our political, financial, and religious answers quickly wash away in the reality of the lives affected, here in this, our America during the holidays. 

Preserving American Christmas traditions and customs is something we, the people can all do. There is no reason to assume that any political gain can be made, or taken away. Christmas is Christmas, without any interference by the government. Financially we have thousands of ways to shop to make a child smile, affordable for most with the onset of the "Dollar Store". Religiously we Americans take pride in acceptance of personal preference, celebrating the holiday in our own way without fear of rejection.

You can see it as you walk the malls, listen to the carolers, watch the lights go up, tree's decorated, that we have our customs. They include the hot cocoa with peppermint sticks, the drive to the local nativity scene, the ringing of the Salvation Bell with the familiar red buckets to help the needy. The excited children coming home from school talking about the food drives, the clothing collections, pleased that they can give as well as receive. The invitations to homes different from our own but similar in that Christmas is Christmas once a year. The red cheeked children listening to Rudolph solve his problem and become a hero, how Frosty saves the day, and the story of a woman and man birthing a special child.

For us, for me, for my children and their children, I hope that American Christmas traditions and customs that began when my ancestor's first set their feet on this America, will continue, growing more special, carrying on into a future that we all cannot foresee. A continuous blending of all that America is, people, customs, rituals and love. Once a year we are all a family, a community unlike any other in the world. Preserving Christmas traditions and customs? No problem.