I love this time of year. I love Christmas. I love the memories it evokes of my youth in rural southwestern Virginia. Time is funny. Sometimes, the speed at which it passes seems cruel. Sometimes, though, memories sweeten with the passage of time. Other times, those same memories awaken emotions that seem as fresh as when the event originally occurred. And sometimes, the passage of time completely changes our perspective, too.

For me, one such memory is a Christmas album my dad bought in the 1970s: The Statler Brothers’ Christmas Card album. I haven’t met many people who are familiar with the Statler Brothers, let alone that album. The Statlers are a country singing quartet from Staunton, Virginia. As they were getting their start, they were an opening act for Johnny Cash. In fact, they wrote a song about that experience titled “We Got Paid by Cash.”

But I digress.

I remember the first time my dad played the Statler Brothers’ Christmas Card album on our large console record player. I hated it. I didn’t recognize any of the songs, and thought they’d ruined the one song that was familiar: Jingle Bells.

Despite the objections from me and my brothers, our parents played that album over and over and over, and did so every single Christmas for as long as we lived at home. I graduated from high school in 1985. Every college Christmas vacation when I’d go home, the Statler Brothers’ Christmas album would be playing.

Not too many years passed before I found myself married and living in Utah. I remember going to the store to buy Christmas CDs to begin my own Christmas music collection. While browsing, I saw that the Statler Brothers’ Christmas album was now available on compact disc. I remember being so excited. I bought it, and opened it in the car to listen on my drive home. It transported me in time.

When the album came out on Apple Music, I bought it there, too. Most recently, I created a station on Pandora based upon it.

When I hear those long familiar songs today, I cannot put into words the emotion that comes over me. The tightening within my chest, and the tears that immediately come to my eyes. It is indescribably powerful.

I have grown to love that album. I know every word by heart. I cannot hear it without thinking of my youth and our family.

And just like that, something so simple became a tradition.

May your Christmas be merry, bright, and surrounded with loved ones present and the beautiful memories of loved ones past. What traditions are we passing on to the generations of tomorrow? Let us pass on a world that is loving, kind and peaceful.

“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” ( Isaiah 9:6)

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.

Merry Christmas. Love, the Andersons.