_______New Year's Tradition

I've already posted briefly about this, but since we're going to try this for the first time tonight, I thought I would review it.  I found an online article where Dr. Dobson (from Focus on the Family) talks about the tradition he has his family use to keep the spirit of Christmas in their home after the season has passed. If you sent us a card, know that we'll be praying for you in the weeks to come!  (Although, we'll only be doing one or two a night because that is the attention span of our children!)




Question: Once Christmas Day has arrived and the presents have been opened, my children always seem to be disappointed. They’re not ungrateful or bratty, but I’m curious if you have any suggestions on how to beat the “post-holiday blues”?
Dr. Dobson: For children and many adults, anticipation is all too often greater than realization. Our kids were no different. The happy days of Christmas came and went so quickly that my wife and I always sought a way to hold on to the pleasure a while longer. We developed a custom of saving our Christmas cards that came from friends and loved ones far and wide, and after New Year’s Day, we’d put them on a tray near the dinner table. Every night we selected four cards, one for each family member, and we read them and the enclosed letters. We then prayed for those families around our table. This tradition can take months to complete, depending on the number of cards received. With the busy days of Christmas behind us, we could better enjoy the beauty of the cards, and absorb the meaningful verses and personal notes.
The Christmas traditions that we developed through the years were not unique to the Dobson household. But they were extremely meaningful to each member of our family. These activities served to emphasize the two vitally important themes that embody the Christmas spirit: celebration of Jesus’ birth and life, and celebration of love for one another and for the entire human family.