Christmas. To me, the word is nearly the same as tradition.

My family has celebrated Christmas in roughly the same way every year since I was born until now. Some of our traditions included buying and decorating a Christmas tree on December twenty-first, waking up early to unwrap our presents, attending a Christmas concert at our local church, driving around town to look at Christmas light displays on December twenty-third and making large batches of sugar cookies.

This year has been totally different. My parents bought and decorated our tree while I was at school, and their work schedules shifted our celebration of Christmas to the twenty-third of December. We did not attend our local church's Christmas celebration service, look at Christmas lights or make any sugar cookies (we're all allergic to sugar now).

Everything is different, but somehow, that's okay. I have started to put a spin on these old traditions and add a few new ones of my own. I attended a Christmas concert at school and decorated my apartment for Christmas.

This year, my roommate and I decided to visit our school and local city libraries and check out children's books about Christmas, snow and winter. Then, as time allowed, we sat down and read them to each other as a study break. I loved to see the many ways authors and illustrators depict snow. It's the beginning of a tradition I hope to continue for many years.

Traditions can change. It feels weird but good. I've realized that what's special about traditions is not necessarily the acts themselves, although they certainly can be enjoyable; it's about the sentiment behind the traditions.

To me, Christmas is about presence. It's a time to slow down, worship God and be with people I love, however that might look. Regardless of how my family's traditions change over the years, these things remain. And that is tradition.