Lehi People
The lasting magic of Christmas traditions
Jennifer Thomas | Lehi Free Press
Christmas traditions, deeply rooted in history and culture, are more than just festive activities; they are vital threads that weave families and communities together, providing comfort, continuity, and a shared sense of identity in an ever-changing world.
Holiday traditions are an essential part of how we celebrate, and there is a reason we keep them in our lives for so long: they provide stability and create a sense of belonging. We need to celebrate our differences, as well as our common interests. Doing so helps unite and educate us.
“Holiday traditions are an important part of building a strong bond between family and our community. They give us a sense of belonging and a way to express what is important to us. They connect us to our history and help us celebrate generations of family,” according to the Psych Central website at https://psychcentral.com/blog/balanced-life/2013/11/why-holiday-traditions-might-be-more-important-than-you-think#1.
“In 1995, my father passed away. We knew our Christmas that year would be different. As we looked for a way to include my father or grandpa in our celebration, luminaries were starting to line our neighborhood as families would light them for their celebrations,” said Lehi resident Gae Hadfield. “We thought this would be a good way to include grandpa and all our loved ones in our holiday celebration.
“On Christmas Eve, our children, grandchildren, and my mom meet in the cemetery to honor our loved ones who have passed on with luminaries. We started by putting them on Grandpa’s grave and then Grandma’s grave. We told stories and remembered them. As the years have come and gone, we have added babies, Grandma H, Grandma C, an aunt and an uncle to our lumi=po-0ary tradition. I am sure there will be more remembered on Christmas Eve in the coming years.”
Every Christmas Eve, the cemetery is lit up as many families come to celebrate their loved ones, said Hadfield. “It is important to keep the memories of our loved ones alive in our hearts and lighting luminaries is one way our children, grandchildren, and others in our families will know who and from where they came from.”
Knowing why we celebrate holidays is important because it provides context, offers cultural identity, fosters gratitude, and helps us pause for reflection, connecting us to history and shared human values like togetherness, generosity, and purpose.
“I bought a children’s board book at Broadbent’s years ago called ‘Who Is Coming to Our House?’ They sold it with little toy farm animals and Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, which I have since learned is very hard to find because they’re all in different sets,” said Lehi resident, Nicole Kunze.” We read the book, every year, on Christmas Eve and have the kids (now teenagers and they still like it) place the animals on the table as they come up in the book and it ends with the Holy Family arriving in the barn. It’s short and sweet and it never fails as a reminder of what we’re celebrating.”
United Way of Utah County emphasizes that “Christmas traditions, are crucial for building family bonds, creating stability, and passing down values, even for families facing hardship; these rituals, from simple cookie baking to volunteering, provide joy, identity, and a sense of normalcy, which is vital for kids and families to feel connected and secure during the holidays and beyond.”
Kate Daly, Lehi resident, said, “A fun tradition we have is to make our family recipe, ‘Buttermilk Cookies’. We make a whole day of it. Making the batter, rolling it out, using all sorts of Christmas cookie-cutter shapes, baking, and then the best part: decorating!
“My Mom has been doing this my whole life, now she oversees the process. She makes sure we’re adding enough nutmeg and flour, checking the consistency before roll out, and then the height of the roll out.”
Holiday traditions offer a meaningful way to connect us to our history and help us celebrate generations of family.
“The cookie day tradition is important because it’s a piece of our family history,” said Daly.
“My sister- in-law Jaynann feels that the cookie day is important because, as she said, ‘we are passing down recipes and stories from generation to generation. It’s an example of the power behind our family histories and how they can bring people together. We have three generations of people spending the day together baking, laughing and vibing. And then we get to share our sugar-filled love with people we care about,” added Daly.
Melanie Hansen, Special Education teacher and Lehi resident, said, “We may not remember specific years’ events, but we remember the things we do each year because they are traditions. It is what our kids will look back on with fond memories.”
“Christmas Eve, we have dinner with family and play games. Our kids open a present, always matching pajamas. They all have a sleepover downstairs while we finish wrapping presents,” said Hansen. “Christmas morning is with family, opening presents, and enjoying breakfast at my sister-in-law’s house. Traditions are what connect us to family,” added Hansen.
There is power behind traditions in a modern world where digital communication often replaces face-to-face interaction and life moves at a rapid pace. The structured rituals of Christmas offer a valuable anchor.
“Traditions are a beautiful way to lean into the value of connection. Traditions have elements of nostalgia, storytelling, and common humanity. The Christmas season is a great opportunity to engage with our community through shared customs,” said mental health counselor and former Miss Lehi, Caitlin Thomas. “Traditions can bridge the gap between generations and remind each of us that, at our core, we are humans who want to feel love and belonging. There is nothing more festive than that.”
The power of connection through tradition lies in how shared rituals and practices bind people across generations, cultures, and even workplaces, nurturing a feeling of deep belonging, stability, and identity by linking the past to the present and future, strengthening family/group bonds, providing comfort, and creating lasting memories, ultimately improving well-being and resilience. Traditions offer a sense of continuity and purpose, transforming simple routines into meaningful anchors that combat modern disconnection and build stronger, more unified communities.
“My family celebrates Christmas through a collection of meaningful traditions that bring us together. At the heart of our holiday is a family Nativity, where each member takes on a different role as the Christmas scripture is read aloud, reminding them of the true meaning of the season,” said Lindsey Larsen LaFord, former Miss Lehi, Miss Utah County and Miss Utah 2022. “Alongside this tradition are moments of simple magic from childhood baking Christmas cookies together and waking up to find tiny elf footprints left behind in the flour, a reminder of joy, imagination, and togetherness. Each year, we also hide a pickle ornament in the Christmas tree, and whoever finds it first earns an extra present.”
“These traditions have become important for my family, helping create lasting memories and connection,” added LaFord.
Ultimately, whether a family’s tradition is elaborate or simple, homegrown or global, the enduring value of any tradition lies in the bonds it fosters and the magic of Christmas it adds to our lives.
