Classic Christmas Traditions for the Best Time of The Year!

Megan Alexander embraces Christmas celebration wholeheartedly! Author of the just released book – The True Gifts of Christmas – Megan helps illustrate seasonal traditions, decorations and significance to bring great meaning and purposeful hospitality around the symbolisms that come with it.

Question: “Megan, is hospitality under-considered for the impact that it makes?”

Megan Alexander: “I think so much of being a believer is welcoming people with the spirit of Jesus. When you think about his life, he always had time for people. Hospitality is welcoming people, seeing people, making time for people. I think we have overlooked it as a way to worship and serve. The holidays slow us down and give us that opportunity again.”

Question: “Where would we be without the candy canes. But there are clues, aren’t there?”

Megan Alexander: “Yah! Shaped like a shepherd’s staff. You turn it upside down and the ‘J’ is for Jesus. The red represents Jesus’ blood shed for us. The white, we are washed white as snow. We do a flashlight candy cane hunt in our backyard and invite all the kids over. Collect as many as you can. We hide a few in the trees. It’s fun!”

Question: “The hospitality specific at Christmas time, do you think it represents something about the kingdom of heaven?”

Megan Alexander: “I envision that will be heaven. I mean, oftentimes in the Bible, it talks about a great banquet, we’ll be welcomed to the banquet table, right? In my father's house, are many, many rooms. And there's something about opening the door and welcoming somebody into your room and saying, ‘come on in’. When we put candles in windows, there's a backstory there of hospitality and letting people know, if you're a fellow believer, this is a place where you could stay.”

Question: “And Christmas may be the best occasion.”

Megan Alexander: “Yes, I think Christmas is the best opportunity to open that door to people. And I think that's reflective of how Christ welcomes us.”

Question: “Megan, what else does bread bring beyond just flavor and aroma?” 

Megan Alexander: “Jesus is the Bread of Life, and this is a reminder of that – plus it’s a great family tradition. We always bake cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Runs in my husband’s family. Kids love it. It tastes really good, and it has spiritual significance.”  

Question: “Christmas maybe more than anything else, is this array for our senses, smell, taste, feel, hear...”

Megan Alexander: “Christmas is all of our senses coming to life and It's really embracing what it means to be human. God created all of those senses and wants us to enjoy life to the fullest. Christmas taps into all of that. Whether it's that Christmas music that you hear for the very first time when you walk into a store. The first sign of Christmas lights in your neighborhood, the bright twinkle of them. It's that anticipation of all of those overload of senses.”

Question: “What is it about that distinct sound of bells? What do you hear?”

Megan Alexander: “I hear hope, the sound of hope. Christmas bells remind us that God is with us. When you hear those bells ring out on Christmas morning, you're just filled with hope.  You could put bells on your front door as it opens and closes. Songs Jingle Bells famous poems. They remind us that God is with us. I've even put bells on the pets, so as they walk around the house, I hear the jingle of the bells all day long.   

Question: “Anticipation is one of the wonderful parts of Christmas, the big buildup. Advent in particular.”

Megan Alexander: “You know as kids I think we just can't wait for Christmas morning. But as I grow older as an adult, I find the anticipation of Christmas is the preparation of Jesus' birth and what it means to us. That to me is advent. Okay, Lord, what are you trying to teach me through all the different symbolisms of Christmas. And this year in particular, I've started looking at it as preparation for the new year to carry that spirit into January and continue being bold in my faith.”

Question: “The imagery of snow is thee landscape for Christmas. Within it what do we find?”

Megan Alexander: “Yah, we find snowflakes and I included this in the book because we need to remind our kids that just like no snowflake is like the other, you are unique and special in Jesus’ eyes too. And snowflakes are a work of art. Literally, every single one is different, intricate. It’s a magical part of Christmas.”  

Question: “How can we best prize the meaning of Christmas, especially for kids, with all the excess.” 

Megan Alexander: “As a parent, that is the battle that I am constantly fighting, and I know so many people can relate. We're fighting the commercialization and the secularization of Christmas and the dreaded question of, is there really a Santa Claus?”

Question: “Talk about a familiar face. But behind every Santa there is a generous, servant-hearted leader.” 

Megan Alexander: “Yah, a real-life man named Nicholas. Saint Nicholas in the Catholic church. He grew up in what is modern day Turkey. He was a bishop. He loved the Lord and served others, often giving presents in secret. The real Saint Nicholas, exemplified hope, compassion, empathy, generosity, hospitality. His life was a testament of his faith. Where is Jesus in all this? And I've discovered that he's very alive in so many of our Christmas traditions and symbols during the holidays comes back to Jesus' birth and comes back to who Jesus is.”

Question: “Paging through the book from you to us, what do you want people to take away from it?”  

Megan Alexander: “It is my hope that families will slow down and read this book together and day by day see that Christ is alive in so many of our Christmas traditions. It's also my hope that families will think about starting new traditions. We're celebrating because Jesus came down to earth in human form as a baby. Let's celebrate in every way possible through music, through food, through lights, through decorations. Because we could never possibly comprehend the love that God has for us. He deserves our very best. Let's give it to him!”