Traditions
and Rituals
“The
rituals of Christmas are truly rituals, part of the holy festival…Ritual is
something you do with your body. There are some actions, objects, and sounds
involved…Especially for children and family members, nothing could be more nutritious
for their souls than to engage in rituals that delight.”
Thomas
Moore (The Soul of Christmas, p.74-75; Franciscan Media, 2016)
Some of
us have a long list of Christmas traditions and rituals that must be done in a
certain order. We may not think of them as rituals, but they are when done with
care. When my sons were young, the selection of the Christmas tree was a big
deal. We either went to a tree farm and cut one, or we went to the Boy Scouts
tree sale and bought one. Chosen with care, taking everyone’s wishes into
consideration, and of course, the price of the tree, we scoured the field for
the perfect one.
Once
the tree was in the stand, no easy feat, lights were strung and ornaments hung,
some made by small, kindergarten hands, some bought, all collected over their
childhood years and meaningful to each of us. There were years when most of the
ornaments hung in the lowest branches because that was as high as one of boys
could reach. Putting the star or the angel on top was the final act. Then the
stories of Christmas trees past became a focus—like the time Ralphie, the white
cat, climbed into the tree and retrieved all the bird ornaments. We came home
to shredded feathers and wire feet everywhere.
Then we
set out the crudely carved nativity, handed down from grandmother and
great-grandmother, and always missing at least one figure. We could never decide
out how to hang the angel over the barn, so she usually simply laid on the roof—a
fallen angel, I suppose. A fitting guardian for this household
Today,
since I have no small children or grandchildren, my Christmas ritual consists
of plugging in white lights on the Ficus tree and cooking for days—lemon bread
and apple cake and cookies—for friends and my own small tribe. It’s a rite of
passage, I think. Even with all the memories, the traditions of Christmas are
not strong in me. I enjoy most a small dinner, a fire in the fireplace, and the
company of people I love. Good conversation is the best gift I can receive.
When
you are involved with setting the scene for Christmas, be aware that you are
engaged in a sacred task. The Christmas house is liminal space; temporary,
transitory, beautiful, and rich in sensory stimulation. The scents and sights provide
pleasure and comfort. One of my favorite things growing up was the aroma of
Russian Tea—a concoction of tea and juices with whole mulling spices of cinnamon,
allspice, and clove. The whole house is enveloped in the heavenly scents that
just make your heart happy. Here’s my mother’s recipe:
Russian
Tea
2
family sized Tea Bags (black tea; I use decaf)
1
qt boiling water
2
c. sugar (for simple syrup)
1
qt. pineapple juice
Juice
of 6 lemons
1
qt. of orange juice
3
cups water
Small
bag of spices (1 cinnamon stick, 5-6 whole cloves, 3-4 whole allspice, & I
sometimes throw in a vanilla bean)
Pour
boiling water over tea bags and let steep for 10 min, then drain. Mix sugar and
water and let boil for 5 minutes. Add lemon, orange and pineapple juices and
mix with tea. Serve hot. Serves 20 (I let it steep on the lowest setting on the
stove to allow the spices to become aromatic. You can halve the recipe or keep
in fridge for up to a week, heating only what is needed.)
Whatever
rituals you enact, do them with great love and pleasure. They are sacred
blessings of gratitude for this year, and blessings for the next.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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