This past Sunday, we sang it as a congregation for the closing hymn at church. I had noticed at the beginning of the meeting that people were not really singing or if they were, not with much enthusiasm or volume even though were were singing an upbeat Christmas hymn.
But for the closing hymn, I observed a phenomenon that I have noticed many times over the years. When we sang "Silent Night" there were many more singing and while the volume hadn't changed drastically, the mood had. There was a reverence in the tone of the singing. There is a magic in that hymn that seems to touch the heartstrings of those who sing it. I tried my best to keep from getting choked up, but by the third verse, the tears were flowing freely. I've never been an overly emotional person. Whether it's the post-baby hormones or not, that song always strikes a chord for me. It makes me visualize the birth of our Savior. I see Mary cradling her Son, much like the photo (also one of my favorites) in this post. "Silent Night, Holy Night, Son of God, Love's Pure Light."
Now where does the tradition come in? Hearing this song and being so far from family reminded me of a tradition I learned about years ago. One family I know who has many adult traditions has one that I thought was a great one. In this day and age, people don't always live close to family. So this mother started a tradition that is simple and meaningful to her family. At 8 pm (in whatever time zone the mother lives in) the children stop wherever they are and whatever time it is for them for a few minutes to sing "Silent Night" as a family. That way, in those moments, the family knows that they are all united together in their hearts.
What a simple, inexpensive but touching tradition!
