Tanya Eavenson | Spread the Christmas Joy

Family Traditions, Memories, and Jesus

For years growing up our tradition was to gather with family on Christmas Eve. Aunts, uncles, and cousins I hadn’t seen since the year before would flock together for this one day. Even now, I can picture the older men sitting at their squared card tables playing dominoes and smoking cigars. No matter where you were in the house, the sound of shuffling and clinking tiles could be heard.

This is a memory I will never forget, and was a precious time growing up. But when my first daughter came into the world around Christmas time, I told my husband I wanted to start my own family tradition, one that would help our children understand what Christ did coming as a babe. My husband knew how important this was for me since I hadn’t grown up in a Christian home. So the next year we began our own family tradition.

Every year on Christmas day, whether we go home for the holidays or not, we make a birthday cake for Jesus. The kids get up in the morning and help me make the cake, from stirring the ingredients to layering the icing on thick, and yes, they like a lot of icing. Then after dinner we bring out the cake, light the candles, and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. Now, you might be wondering who blows out the candles. We all do because Jesus came for all.

I pray when my children get older, they will have their own traditions, but they will always remember praising and worshiping Christ on Christmas day. Even with something as simple as a cake.

Jesus’s Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box of cake mix
• Food coloring (at least four colors)
• Bundt pan
• Cooking spray
• Icing (any)

Directions:

• Make cake mix as instructed on the box.
• Separate cake mix into the same amount of bowls as food coloring and add food coloring to those bowls. Mix well.
• Spray the bundt pan.
• Take one color of cake mix and pour around the bottom of the bundt pan. Then take another color adding it on top. Do not mix. Add cake mix in layers, adding on top of each color until done.
• Place in oven.
• Let cake cool before icing.

When it comes time to cut the cake, you will see the center looks like a rainbow. It represents the story of Noah and God’s promises. And just as God made promises to them, He also made promises to us. One day Jesus will come back for those who love Him.

Tanya Eavenson enjoys spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Word Weavers International, and writes for Christ to the World Ministries. You can find her at her website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/ on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google, or on Amazon.

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