As the temperatures drop and days get shorter, the holiday season is in full swing.
Although 2020 has been a historic year with many changes, holiday traditions bring a sense of normalcy and holiday cheer.
There are the popular traditions like getting a new tree ornament and pajamas, going to a candle light service and looking at Christmas lights around town, baking goodies and having Christmas dinner with family or playing games like Dirty Santa and White Elephant.
However, there are several Lincoln County residents with unique traditions.
Mandy Clark from Stroud says the day after Thanksgiving she takes her family out to get their Christmas tree and creates a unique memory.
“I buy a real tree, and I cut the trunk off in four discs to decorate as ornaments so when my children are older they have a piece of their childhood tree from every year for their trees,” she said. “I put the new decorated discs on a gift as a tag each year and they are decorated in their favorite colors or whatever they were really into that year. So we have some that are plaid and some that are glitter; there are some that have their picture on them etc.”
Clark said she came up with the idea while at a craft fair in Arkansas.
“They have those cute ones that you can have made with the kids names,” she said. “Well I thought they were expensive and I could do something better so I came up with that.”
This has been a tradition in Clark’s family since her oldest’s daughter’s first Christmas over 20 years ago.
Chandler resident Jacque Young said they decorate a tree in their backyard for critters.
“We put edible ornaments like peanut butter pine cones and popcorn cranberry strings,” she said. “It’s fun to watch the trail cam the next day to see who came to eat.”
Mary Grace Hair of Chandler said her family takes leftover cookies and goodies to OnCue for the employees that have to work over Christmas.
In the past, before COVID impacted every aspect of life, her daughter Kinsey Evans, would bake cookies with her kids and take them to different nursing homes.
Evans said one Christmas her father decided they wouldn’t give gifts, rather they would do acts of kindness for others.
Evans said she enjoyed it so much she wanted to start it with her kids and has been doing it for the past four years.
“We teach our kids to exemplify Christ,” she said. “In doing that, we emphasize that Christmas isn’t about us, it’s about the sacrificial gift God gave to save the world because He loves us. We want to show God’s love to those who may feel forgotten and need to be reminded that they are loved.”
Many traditions are centered around food, however these residents have unique dishes for Christmas.
Stroud resident Chasity Smith Simms says she makes a corn dish with cream cheese and green chillies.
Marie Boggs of Chandler said one tradition she’s kept since her childhood is eating biscuits and gravy after opening presents.
Connie Page Wasson of Stroud says she makes a birthday cake for Jesus.
Chandler resident Bonnie Wilson Clagg says she makes chili for Christmas Eve dinner with her family.
Chandler resident Charlotte Warkentine said she makes traditional Mennonite hospitality spice cookies, which are as small as dog food.
With the end of the year in sight, many residents have loud traditions to not only celebrate Christmas but also bring in the new year.
Robin Sitton Crouch of Chandler said on Christmas morning at the breakfast table, they’ll use the celebration poppers.
Deanna Trippler of Chandler says her family “bang pots and pans outside at midnight to scare off the old year and welcome the New Year in.”
Chandler resident Theresa McKinzie said they burn their Christmas tree and light fireworks.