by Betty Van Volkenburg

The traditions in my childhood home have been modified over the years and I guess that’s how traditions grow, with the mobility of our modern age.   Now that my children are grown, my traditions have expanded to accommodate current interests and needs, and to include those brought to us by our new in-law families, or new friends over the years.

For years while my younger siblings were growing up, and then my own young children, there were always stacks of toys under the tree, including frilly dolls for Peggy, my youngest daughter, long after she had lost interest in dolls. But it’s traditional to have dolls at Christmas, right? My brother Gary, admitted that it wouldn’t be Christmas for him if he couldn’t get a new doll for Peggy at Christmas. How fortunate for Peggy that the last year he gave her a doll, his own little girl was born, and Peggy could look forward to more grown up presents.

Now, we all give more grown up toys, like CD players, or new computer software, or cookware, or wireless gadgets, or designer clothes. Somehow it doesn’t seem as exciting as it was, maybe because we forgot how to be a kid?  Maybe I’ll do a retro Christmas and give nothing but toys for my ‘kids’. Won’t they be surprised!

One tradition that never changes is our Christmas celebration at my church, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Webster NY.  This year is the first in many years that I have been able to be home for the whole season of advent and I am thoroughly enjoying everything.  I eagerly look forward to our Christmas eve candlelight services at 11 pm (our ‘midnight’ service) when my grandson will be serving as Acolyte.  (Did you see the article about self-esteem being higher in youth who are involved with their church?  If it works with youth it works for adult singles too.) I can’t tell you what a blessing it feels like to see my grandson so happily involved with church, when some other young people are celebrating in such destructive ways. I don’t need any other Christmas present.

Our church is blessed with some really good musical talent, which has been lovingly developed by our Music Director, Dr. Karyn Pfluger.  Over the Christmas season we hear some of the most beautiful music that any congregation would want to hear, from our children’s choir to the youth choir and adult choir, and our instrumental and vocal soloists.  She is also one of the masterminds behind another tradition at our church – The Boar’s Head Gaudy, which is held in January.  I look forward to that as well, after all, where else would you see your priest decked out in a medieval costume complete with tights, and a dangerous looking sword.

You can read a short description of the Boar’s Head feast and get a peek at "The Rev." Lance Robbins in his costume from last year, on our site for Good Shepherd’s singles, SAM’s Lambs. Last year’s play was a side splitter but I’ve heard this year’s is even funnier and an absolute scream. If you’re in the Webster NY area, it’s well worth the $10. admission, for a night of fun and feasting. (I have to talk to them about the admission fee – this is supposed to be a FUND-RAISING event!).

Until next issue –

Betty Van Volkenburg
Publisher,
The Singles Center
Singles, The Magazine for Today's Single
The Singles Courier