I’ve heard change is contagious. As it turns out, so is a global pandemic. It is inevitable that this Advent season would look a lot different than years past. In a season that is ripe with tradition, it is undeniably difficult to let go of what we think these few weeks “should be” or to be saddened by the events we feel we will miss. While it is okay to grieve the things we wish could be, it’s important also not to remain in a place of darkness.
I grew up with a Christmas tree adorned with keepsake ornaments. Our Christmas tree was beautiful. It wasn’t meant to look like a department store tree; it was a more like a family gallery. My mother was intentional to include ornaments that told our family’s story. We had dog-shaped ornaments, cat-shaped ornaments, baubles from vacations over the years, handmade crafts from grade school, and even a few ornaments of questionable origin. One ornament in particular never caught my attention until last Christmas. It had a snowman family on its front with two parents and two daughters. It had been on the tree for years, but I did not remember it until my mother sent me a photo of it last December, hanging on a branch with an important edit: one of the snowman “kids” had angel wings carefully drawn around it with a metallic marker.
The significance was clear. This was the third Christmas since the death of my twin sister and the first Christmas that my parents were strong enough to hang the family ornaments on their Christmas tree.
Admittedly, I was taken aback when I saw the ornament at first. It struck me as sad… an ornamental reminder that my sister was gone seemed like it didn’t match the joyful spirit of the Christmas season. But after a deep breath, I realized that it was a perfect way to remember this important milestone in our family’s story. We now have an angel “snowman” in heaven!
Losing my sister meant that no Christmas would ever be the same. Truthfully, each Christmas since her departure has had a streak of deep sorrow running through it. Yet, we are able to acknowledge the pain of missing her while still soaking in the joy of the good news that a savior is born in Bethlehem – a savior that ultimately brought my sister to heaven so that I will see her again.
This Christmas will inevitably look different for you and for your family. The hardship of this past year is part of all of our stories. I know my family plans to place an ornament on the tree that represents the story of 2020 because, while it might not have been our favorite year, it is certainly part of our story. I encourage you to approach this Christmas with an open heart to experience the birth of Jesus in a new way, not completely without the traditions of the past, but with a peace that change is inevitable, and even through that change, God still reigns.
Beth Armstrong, Director of Marketing
