Our Christmas celebrations certainly vary in our community. Many celebrate Noche Buena and exchange gifts on Christmas Eve. Midnight church is standard with others. Many gather on Christmas Day. Some travel out of town to visit family while others’ homes are filled to the brim with family coming home. There is no correct way to celebrate Christmas.
No set rules on what must be done. Christmas is what we make it. How we, each individual, celebrates it.
Of course it goes without saying that the true meaning of Christmas is about the birth of Christ.
No matter what, I think we all can agree that Christmas is also about family and community.
In the past, our home has always hosted huge Christmas Day celebrations with two of our three children and their families and my husband’s large
family. A gathering of 40 or more was standard. Our other daughter and her family lived out of town so they celebrated at home.
This year, we celebrated Christmas at our new home in Land O Lakes and for the first time, celebrated Christmas with our other daughter and her family. Ten of us gathered for dinner and exchanged gifts. We went to church on Christmas Eve at 5 pm for the children’s service. Compared to the past, it was definitely different but you know what? It was Christmas.
Faith, family, friends and our new community. We have the week to get to know our new neighborhood and discover new things in the area. Neighbors have brought treats and introduced themselves.
Yes, Christmas has been different this year but as I look back through the year in Homestead/Florida City, we are so grateful for the community. The Seminole Theatre has presented wonderful shows and helped to put Homestead on the
cultural map. Our community is growing with new businesses and more homes.
Here at the South Dade News Leader, during this Christmas season, we look back and are very grateful. The entire staff is grateful for the community members who tell us they enjoy reading our news stories and columns. We are grateful for the advertisers who continue to support one of the few locally owned newspapers in Florida. We are dwindling in numbers. We are grateful to those who continue to call us with news stories.
What is the true meaning of Christmas? It truly is a celebration of our faith and enjoying it with family, friends and community.
(1) comment
"goes without saying"? that's the problem with Christmas celebrations these days.
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