A "Traditional" Christmas Eve?

Christmas Eve... Traditions that we never thought would change...  People we expected to always be there... A naivety of how good the times really were...  And a complete ignorance of the burdens of life our parents and grandparents were under...

We never thought that Christmas Eve could or would be spent at any other place other than at Momo and Popo Riggs'.  To think otherwise was sacrilege. Momo would always have fudge, divinity candy, mincemeat pie, turkey and dressing, homemade gifts for the grand kids, yards of cloth for the daughters and daughter-in-laws...  Popo would always be sitting in the midst of the chaos but not quite as unperturbed as Momo.  Playing Monopoly in the den or just sitting around talking and listening...Surely this would never change...but it did.  I figure eighty-three would have been the last year.  Momo passed in eighty-four and I don't remember any Christmas' on West Main Street after that.

Judging from Kimberly's age in picture below, I think this was Christmas Eve 1979

Christmas Eve 1979

Christmas Eve 1980 (Again...Judging Kimberly's age)

Christmas Eve 1980

A couple of years after Mom moved to town, from the Homeplace in eighty-seven, Tami and I started a new tradition.  On Christmas Eve, we packed up and went to spend the night at Mom's house on 6th Street.  This must have started after Tabitha was old enough to sleep with Mom.  We would drive around on Christmas Eve night and look at all the lights.  Mom would get up early on Christmas Day and fix a light breakfast and prepare for the Riggs' Christmas later in the day.  This tradition continued until O-five, the last Christmas Mom was with us.

This year, we have a new focus...No traditions yet but they will come.  Our first Grandchild, Lucas Rey Miller, was born yesterday so he is the center of attention.

However, in all of the traditions, the gifts, the food and families...Let us not forget that Christmas is about a child sent to "Save Us"...The Christ Child...

In the words of the old carol "Angels From The Realms Of Glory"....

"Sages! Leave your contemplations...Brighter visions beam afar!"

"Seek the great Desire of Nations!...ye have seen His natal star"

"Come and Worship! Come and Worship!"
"Worship Christ the newborn king!"