Solo Flight Christmas Traditions

I don’t want to haul a big “real” tree in and out by myself, so I’ve become attached to this raggedy little tree that proudly pretends to be alive, wrapped in a burlap ball with “snow” on its branches. My grandchildren help me decorate it every year. I’m reminded that Marin Luther decorated a small evergreen tree in his home with candles to replicate the beauty of the December stars shining through the branches of the fir trees. Wondering what other singles do at Christmas, I spoke to members of Solo Flight about their special ways of celebrating the holidays.

When their children were little, Malinda and Murray Harris used to sing carols on Christmas Eve, with Malinda at the piano, then read the Christmas story from Luke, so the children could talk about it before they heard it in church. They always had fondue for dinner. Now that Malinda is widowed, she still puts up a tree and remembers all the Christmases with her family through the ornaments collected over the years. She lights the Advent wreath by herself and finds it meaningful. On Christmas morning, her daughter and grandchildren come over for breakfast and open presents. However, Malinda says, “For our family, there was never any doubt that Christmas Eve was centered at the church, and for me, it still is.”

Alan Moore said, “We always tried to focus on family during the Christmas season and even after we divorced, we have continued to maintain that family focus. I take my kids who are now all in college to pick out a Christmas tree- it’s a tradition to argue over the ‘perfect’ tree. We decorate it together with Christmas music and eggnog with the last item being the angel on the very top of the tree. On Christmas Eve, we have dinner and then visit the Ponte Vedra Inn to see the giant tree and take the annual family photo in front of it. Then it’s off to church for the ‘midnight’ service together. My favorite times are when we sing O Come All Ye Faithful at the beginning and then later Silent Night, kneeling in a candlelit church. The joy of Jesus coming into the world is so real and so present.”

Because Carol Chestnut is single and doesn’t have children, Christmas is always spent at someone else’s home, and their traditions become hers for the day. She adds, “In my home, though, I put up a tree. I also have a large collection of St. Nicholas figures and traditional Santas that I always display because they’re so beautiful. My favorite is Santa, down on one knee, praying.”

Whatever we do as singles is part of a joyous explosion of celebration, our birthday party for Jesus. Each year, our traditions remind us again that we have such a foundational reason to rejoice and to remember that we are not alone!

- By Barbara Church