I don’t know what it was about last night, but I had a profound awareness of God’s presence as my family decorated our Christmas tree. As my wife hung the ornaments, she pointed out the various people and places that had so generously given us these little gifts of memory. I hung a big figure skate on the tree from my friend Nora, thanking me for the gift of friendship. Nora, if you read this, know that I smiled as I placed that skate up on the tree. I considered your friendship a true blessing. We hung the wonderfully decorated ornaments up from churches past—wonderful jewels of the memories of service. This moment filled me with gratitude for the kindness and connections that enrich our lives during this time of year.

We moved through the storage boxes as we hung ornaments dating back to the first Christmas my wife and I celebrated as a married couple. Both of our sons hung their first ornaments from the year of their birth. Seeing my boys hang their own proclamations of their lives made me appreciate how we honor the rituals specially created in our family, inspiring us to reflect on their spiritual significance.

I began to appreciate the many years that I have been hanging ornaments on trees, dating back to my own childhood. I gave thanks for the times that I hung an item, which sparked a message that God’s hope and spirit are alive and well in my home. Family traditions, at their best, invite us to bring the past into the present. Each year, we put up a tree and touch those who have gone before us. We somehow connect with the many Christmases of yesterday, inspiring hope for what lies ahead.

We naturally celebrate the season of Advent. We hope to move forward by looking back on the gifts that we have received in years gone by. This family ritual is where we gather strength in our faith. We know that we can move on because we have before. We press on with the promise of what is to come.