When kids grow up in their own home, they often think things they are normal. They eat certain types of food, act in particular ways and even dress in a manner that is common to their clan. They celebrate holidays in the fashion that is familiar to their own unique families, too, and often believe their customs are the most natural things in the world.

My kids know I love Christmas. It’s been something they’ve just grown up with. My son thinks it’s weird, but my daughter has fully embraced it. I like to have my tree up before Halloween. I’m sure my neighbors roll their eyes when they drive by our house. The neighborhood kids love it though.

When you have someone from another country living with you, a lot of things need to be explained. And so it was last week when my daughter and I put up our Christmas tree. (This year is the earliest-ever!) I was gingerly and lovingly draping the large old-fashioned lights all over the limbs. Emmanuel (our 21 year-old Haitian exchange student a.k.a. new family member) began to inquire about our custom of Christmas celebration.

Naturally, I asked how he had previously celebrated the holiday. He told me that there is an acknowledgement of Christmas in his village, but the New Year gets more attention. Also, he reminded me that his family does not have electricity in their home in Haiti.

“Does everyone [in America] put up a large tree like this one?” he gently inquired.

“No,” I answered as I continued to hang lights perfectly on each branch.

“Does everyone put up a tree?” he questioned.

“No,” was my reply. I paused. “And nobody EVER puts it up this early,” I finished. “Many people will think I’m entirely crazy. They believe it’s terrible to begin celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving,” I carried on.

It’s one of my favorite sermons, though clearly I’m not the preacher in the family. I spoke to Emmanuel, whose name means “God with us” by the way, about the magic of Christmas, why I love it and how much kinder people treat others during the holidays. I went on to say that it’s not fair to God to only give Him ONE day of thankfulness during the year. As Christians, believers and followers of Christ, we should be celebrating Thanksgiving every single day; that it’s really Thanks-living instead of Thanks-giving.

I told Emmanuel that I wonder if God says to Jesus on Thanksgiving, “Son, this is the day we’ve been waiting for! Today we will get a thank you from America.” Does He lean His ear toward the earth on that day of feasting to hear a little appreciation? OK, so I got worked up. I was on my soap box and Emmanuel didn’t even know what one was. He took all of this in. His brows were furrowed. He was clearly processing everything I’d said...but I wasn’t done.

If we do celebrate Thanksgiving or Thanks-living every day, then why shouldn’t we begin as early as possible celebrating the birth of God’s Son? At least that’s MY way of looking at it.

Emmanuel has loved our Christmas tree from the get-go. He sits in a rocker beside it every evening and drinks coffee. I have to admit that one reason may be because it puts off a certain amount of heat. He misses his Haitian temperatures!

This year, as I continue to decorate, I’m looking at things differently, kind of through new darker eyes. I am excited to share the celebration of Christ’s birth with our new family member and I pray that he will be blessed to be a part of his first Christmas in America. I wonder what traditions he will cherish and copy when he returns home. He’ll think I’m weird about some things, too. A precious lady in our church brought him his own Christmas ornament yesterday. It has painted on it “Emmanuel’s 1st Christmas in America”. He loved it and hung it on the tree.

We are also looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner. My husband has told him about the food and asked Emmanuel if he knew what a “feast” was. He said that he’s only read about them in books. He’ll flip!