Big Family Christmas
Christmas is coming. That means something different than it used to. Growing up in my family it meant that we had most of my seven brothers and sisters around to celebrate. Our whole family celebration happened on Christmas Eve. with a meal, the Dad reading the Christmas story, sharing what God was doing in our lives and what we were thankful for and then presents one at a time with everybody oohhing and aaaahing at what was being opened. The presents weren't elaborate with eight of us to take care of but I never thought about it. Later on Mom (Grandma to our kids) would always have a little something for each grandkid even if it was a pair of sox or mittens or a flashlight.
After the older ones left for Christmas morning at individual houses, we would often gather again on Christmas to make Klejner (pronounced Kleina), a danish donut. Anyone, no matter what age could participate in folding the special dough that was deep fried by an older child. Dad would usually sneak the first one. Klejner are intended by the Lord to be eaten as you cook them. Child after child would steal into the kitchen throughout the process and run out with one in the mouth and one in each hand. We always made a big batch and often we would wrap them up on a paper plate to distribute to the neighbors who were always keeping an eye out for the potential delivery. Ringing the doorbell and presenting a plate of hot Klejner was sort of like Christmas May Day (my kids also loved to deliver little flower baskets made of paper to the neighbors in May).
Things first changed when my brothers and sisters started moving away. When my dad passed away a few years ago things really changed. Now, 26 grand-kids and 30 some-odd great-grand-kids later we all have our own clans and it is becoming more rare to share the holidays together. Various segments of our family will still be getting together Christmas Eve, Eve.
This year is also a little different because since I am a worship minister and Christmas is on Sunday, I will be leading 3 services on Sat. Christmas Eve and 2 on Christmas Sunday Morning (cut back from 5). We also have the big Christmas musical coming up this week with another big church in town. Last Sunday over 120 Christmas boxes fo food were delivered by our Cross Purposes team to families in the community...along with a prayer. It was so cool to see them wrapping, taping, smiling and filling the boxes in the Atrium Sunday morning. It was like the big family I remembered getting ready for Christmas.
![]()