The presents are unwrapped. The food is eaten. The tree has shed its needles. December 25th has passed, but Christmas is far from over in the Orthodox Church. Our celebration continues for the next twelve days – from December 25 until the Baptism of our Lord (Theophany) on January 6. How do we teach our children about the Orthodox Christian Christmas traditions? Our hymnography offers the answer:
“Oh Christ, what shall we offer You for Your coming on earth as Man for our sake? Every creature that has its being from You gives thanks to You: the angels offer hymns of praise, the heavens give you a star; wise men present their gifts, and the shepherds, their wonder; the earth provides a cave and the desert a manger. As for us, we offer You a Mother, a Virgin Mother. O God who are from all eternity, have mercy on us!”
–from the service of Great Vespers
Mary Shows Us the Way to Celebrate Her Son’s Birth.
When the wisemen and shepherds went home, what did Mary do?
“Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
Mary took time to breathe it all in: God became man, her son, and dwelt among us.
God is with us. Let us spend some time with Him for the next twelve days.
At Christ the Savior Academy, we make it possible for our children to do so by giving the students the full twelve days off school to feast with their families. You’ve prepared your hearts through Advent since before Thanksgiving. Now is the time to create a meaningful celebration that extends the truth, goodness, and beauty of their classical Christian education. Here are some suggestions to help your family treasure the Christmas traditions of the Orthodox Church.
Celebrate the Light of the World: The True Orthodox Christian Christmas Tradition.
Ingrain in your children at an early age that the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrating the greatest gift ever given with Divine Liturgy before opening your own gifts as a family will enrich their lives for eternity – long after the much-desired toy breaks or ends up in the next garage sale. To add to the celebration, consider waiting to turn on your Christmas lights on your tree until after you celebrate the Liturgy. Turn off all the lights in your house and do a full count down. Your children will remember forever that Christ is the light of the world.
Make Christmas cookies together.
The joy of baking is so much more joyful after December 25 – especially if you’ve fasted from all rich, decadent desserts. With busy schedules in the days leading up to Christmas, baking can seem like a chore. Waiting until after Christmas makes the task a true treat!
Write thank you notes.
Something changes in our hearts when we take the time to sit down and write a thank you letter. Studies prove it. Beyond the health benefits, writing a thank you letter will shift your child’s focus from the gift itself to the giver. William Arthur Ward observed, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” So, let them pick out cute stationary and teach them the art of the thank you note. Not only will this teach them manners and important writing skills, but it will help them lead healthier and happier lives.
Remember the Feast of St. Stephen, celebrated December 27, Another Orthodox Christian Christmas Tradition.
We’ve been tasked as parents to teach our children about the wonderful gift we were given on Christmas, but what do we do with Jesus? The Feast of St. Stephen offers the answer. St. Stephen was the first ordained deacon in the Church. He was also the first martyr. The Greek word from which we derive the word martyr literally means “witness.” Every Christian is called to bear witness to Jesus Christ – in our words and our deeds. Not all are called to shed their blood, but those who do are the greatest witnesses of all. They are the saints that our children should regard as heroes. As Saint Stephen was stoned to death, he continued to bear witness to Christ, even forgiving his attackers while he was dying. (Acts 7: 59-60)
Orthodox author Charlotte Riggle has some fun ideas for celebrating this feast, including making footprint cookies. Why footprints? In remembrance of Good King Wenceslas, of course. You’ve heard the song:
“Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen…”
The song is a Christmas carol that tells a story of a tenth-century king of Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic) who goes on a journey, braving harsh winter weather (walking all the way – thus, the footprint cookies), to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen.
So, bake cookies and whistle Good King Wencelas, while you work, then deliver the cookies and food to a family in need.
Make Vasilopita as a family.
Did you know that many feasts of the Church have foods to go with them? On New Year’s Eve at St. George Cathedral, we celebrate the Divine Liturgy for St. Basil the Great. At the end of the service, a large loaf of Vasilopita is brought out, cut and distributed to the parishioners. There is a coin baked inside the bread. (Here’s an Orthodox tradition your family can truly treasure!) The parishioner who randomly receives the coin is said to be blessed by St. Basil.
As the story goes, one year during a terrible famine, the emperor levied a huge tax on the people of Caesarea. The people were forced to relinquish their remaining coins and family heirlooms. Learning of this injustice, St. Basil the Great, the archbishop of Caesarea, fearlessly called the emperor to repentance. By God’s grace, the emperor did repent and returned all the treasures to St. Basil. But how would he return the treasure to its proper owners? He baked the coins into one large pita and called the townspeople to prayer. After the Divine Liturgy, he blessed and cut the pita, giving a piece to each person. Miraculously, each person received his own valuables in the Vasilopita!
Try baking the bread with your family as you tell the story.
Ring in the New Year on your knees.
After you’ve baked the bread, make sure to celebrate the Feast of St. Basil with Divine Liturgy (celebrated on New Year’s Eve). Instead of making New Year’s Resolutions that will probably be broken, consider offering up prayers for the year ahead. This service ends with parishioners on their knees, praying this beautiful prayer.
Wrap it up with a splash of an Orthodox Christian Christmas Tradition.
The day your children return to Christ the Savior Academy (January 6) from Christmas break, the Church celebrates the Feast of Theophany. The feast commemorates the Baptism of Christ.
When Christ came to John to be baptized in the Jordan, John was reluctant to do so because he felt unworthy. Yet, he did so at Christ’s urging to “fulfill all righteousness.” Then the Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Him as the Father said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16).
The hymn we sing for this feast is the same hymn Christ the Savior Academy students sing as they process through the classrooms on the first day of school in August as the priest sprinkles their desks and room with Holy Water.
Teach your children the Theophany hymn.
Children love to sing it and emulate the Priest as he sprinkles water. The CSA students will sing it on the first day of school after Christmas break.
“When Thou, O Lord, was baptized in the Jordan
The worship of the Trinity was made manifest!
For the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee,
Calling Thee his Beloved Son.
And the Spirit in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of his Word.
O Christ our God, who has revealed Thyself and enlightened the world,
Glory to Thee!”
Remember Your Children’s Baptisms.
The priest and parents also sang this hymn at your child’s baptism. Show your children pictures of their own baptisms and recount the story. Take a few minutes to watch some videos that show the blessing of the Atlantic Ocean or for the Pacific Ocean. Hearing this hymn sung in other languages teaches our children the universality of our Orthodox faith.
Now is the time to develop your own family’s traditions for the Twelve Days of Christmas. Don’t run yourself ragged. Do as Mary did. Treasure all of these memories in your heart. Center your Orthodox Christmas Christian traditions on the Church – the place where we find truth, beauty, and goodness that lasts for all eternity.
