Sunday, November 30 will mark the beginning of the 2008 Advent season. According to Wikipedia, Advent is “the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, in other words, the period immediately before Christmas”.

In order to prepare myself to lead my family to exalt Christ during this season, I recently read a section from a book by Noel Piper called Treasuring God In Our Traditions. Noel is the wife of John Piper, and in this book she discusses the different traditions that they have established in their home, and explains how each tradition has helped them to encourage their children to treasure God above all else.

The chapter I read focused on the Piper’s celebration of the Advent season and Christmas, and what struck me the most is their absolute insistence on the centrality of Christ in all things, even their decorations and gift buying. For example, instead of a Christmas tree being the focal point of their decorations, they set up a nativity scene on a table, and make that the focal point of their family gatherings throughout the season. In fact, they don’t even use a traditional Christmas tree. Instead, they have a bare branch that they call a “Jesus tree”, from which they hang various items that symbolize Christ’s life on the earth. One thing that stands in stark contrast to the Christmas decorations in most American homes is the complete absence of Santa Claus. Mrs. Piper explains that they never wanted their children to have any question or confusion in their minds as to what Christmas was all about. She encourages us to see our home through the eyes of a child, or through the eyes of someone from a foreign country who is unfamiliar with our Christmas traditions. Would they see Jesus Christ as the center of our Christmas celebrations, or would they see a red-suited, overweight, bearded man with a bag full of toys?

As Christian families, we must find a way to combat a market-driven culture that has saturated the Christmas season with traditions that appeal to our self exalting, self gratifying natures.  We will have traditions, the question is whether they will be saturated with Christ or saturated with something else. Our Christmas traditions should have no lesser goal than presenting the glory and mystery of God wrapped in flesh. As we begin this Advent season, I recommend that you read Treasuring God in Our Traditions. It is a great help and encouragement to begin Christ centered traditions in your family, not only for the Advent season, but throughout the year.