Christmas Traditions From My Heart

Growing up, the Christmas season was centered around family: family meals, family games, and family gatherings. But in our home, “family” didn’t mean only the people we were related to. It included friends, neighbors, and anyone in the community who wanted to join us.

My parents were foster parents, and over the years around 35 foster children came through our home. I grew up learning that there was always room for one more person and one more plate at the table.

Some of my favorite Christmas memories are still the meals. Everyone pitched in, and the table that normally seated eight or ten people would be packed with everyone’s favorite dishes. Looking back, I think that’s one reason I still love cooking for groups today.

Cooking is my love language.

A Different Kind of Christmas Dinner

At our house, Christmas Day means homemade lasagna.

I started making lasagna because by Christmas Day, everyone has usually had plenty of the traditional holiday meals: turkey, ham, dressing, and all the trimmings. I wanted our Christmas meal to be a little different.

Sometimes I’ll start with canned sauce, but it never stays that way for long. I add my own touches, including homemade salsa made with tomatoes from our garden.

Lasagna is also perfect when you’re accustomed to feeding a crowd. There’s plenty to share, it’s easy to send some home with visitors, and if we’re lucky, there are leftovers for the next few days!

Something Sweet

I love to bake, and having a gluten allergy hasn’t changed that. It has just challenged me to learn different ways of making the things I love.

I make gluten-free cookies, blackberry cobbler, cheesecake, and one of my favorites, a three- or four-layer chocolate espresso cake. I enjoy watching baking shows, finding new recipes, and then heading into the kitchen to see what I can create.

Our blackberry cobbler is especially close to home because the blackberries actually come from our own yard. This year I picked about four gallons, and some of those berries will eventually become homemade jam.

Some of my sweetest memories aren’t really about the desserts themselves, though.

My mother-in-law had quite a sweet tooth and loved having dessert after a meal. Before she passed away in 2024, when she came to our house I would sometimes make three different desserts so she could enjoy them with us and take some home.

Memories like that remind me that food is rarely just food. Sometimes it’s another way of saying, “I love you.”

The Greatest Gift

For me, Christmas also has a meaning much deeper than the food, decorations, and presents.

I grew up in a Baptist church, and my faith remains an important part of my life today. I believe Jesus belongs at the center of the Christmas story.

We give one another gifts at Christmas, but I believe the very first Christmas gift was given to all of us: Jesus Christ.

That’s something I never want to lose among all the excitement of the season.

There’s Always Room

Maybe that’s what Christmas means most to me.

It’s faith. It’s family. It’s sitting around a table playing games and cards.

It’s cooking more food than anyone could possibly eat. It’s sending somebody home carrying a plate. It’s remembering people we love who aren’t sitting at the table anymore.

And sometimes, it’s simply making room for one more.

From my heart to yours, I hope your Christmas is filled with faith, family, wonderful memories, and people who remind you just how loved you are.

Merry Christmas,

Mrs. Misty Claus ❤️🎄