I was “today years old” when I discovered that I’m part of a generation that started a Thanksgiving tradition. We Baby Boomers perfected the art of tracing our hands on construction paper and using crayons to transform them into turkeys. Our parents proudly displayed these masterpieces at home. Our parents, the Greatest Generation, helped usher in a post-war boom in public education, including arts-and-crafts projects that built fine motor skills, creativity, and cultural awareness. And those early childhood practices live on; many refrigerators today still feature turkey-hand drawings from the newest little artists (Gen Alpha?).

I always assumed the humble turkey-hand drawing was ancient, surely older than me. After all, cave art gave us stick figures. But apparently, no one in prehistoric times thought to turn their handprint into a festive bird!

It turns out other traditions aren’t as old as we imagine, either. For example, this Sunday, the Christian Church begins its new liturgical year with the Season of Advent. Today, we think of Advent as a time of waiting and preparation for Christmas, but initially, it wasn’t tied to Christmas at all. Early Advent was a season of penitence and preparation for baptism at Epiphany. The four-week pattern we now observe developed around the 6th century under Pope Gregory the Great. Advent wreaths didn’t appear until the 1830s, and if you were hoping for a piece of chocolate inside an Advent calendar, you wouldn’t find one until the early 1900s. Traditions often feel timeless, but many are surprisingly new.

Today, enjoy whatever Thanksgiving traditions you hold dear—gathering with family and friends, savoring an abundant meal, watching football or holiday movies, running a turkey trot, serving at a soup kitchen, or waiting for Santa to close out the Macy’s Parade. Give thanks for the traditions that shape your celebrations.

And on Sunday, as you recover from Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping, join us for another cherished tradition. Come worship with us on Sunday, November 30, at 9:30 AM, as we light the First Candle of the Advent Wreath and begin a new season together.

Blessings,

Pastor Marc