A Christmas tradition I treasure and have kept from my family is an evening for a "Lighting Ceremony." For this tradition you light up different parts of your Christmas decorations and sing a song with each piece. Celebrating the light of Christ! This year we had two dear families from our ward to join us in this event. The first song we sang was "Jingle Bells" to ring in the Joyous news of Christs birth.
Then we lit up our Christmas Village...Bethlehem. This is a special one because the village I grew up with was so beautiful. And I was usually always the one to set it up. I found these beautiful ceramic pieces at a dollar store and got them as an early present to myself. With this we sang "Oh little town of Bethlehem."
We then lit up a candle next to the Angel. Choruses of angels singing to the king. Heralding the shepards to come and witness His birth, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."
Our Christmas star is another favorite of our Christmas decorations. I love having a star lighting the top of our tree! When I think of that joyous light guiding and announcing His birth and coming, it is a sign of hope to me! With this we sang a song out of the LDS Childrens songbook, "Stars were Gleaming."
Then the most important symbol of all; the Nativity! Each year we give a sibling a gift and then it rotates. This year the Lara Seaver family had us, and they gave us a Toy Nativity for Jane and our kids to enjoy. Jane loves it. As we lit the stable we sang, "Away in a Manger." I am so thankful for the birth of our Savior and the light and hope He brought to the world!
We then closed singing this song, "Have a Very Merry Christmas" also in the LDS Children's songbook and a VERY neat song, and watched this video;
And then dug into treats. We made our new tradition of Watermelon Smoothies at Christmas for everyone (we slurped them up before I took a photo :) ). It was a lovely and wonderful evening!
