Everyone knows the reason we celebrate Christmas. We must never forget Christ is the reason, but every family can make the season personal by enjoying certain foods and activities that make us think of Christmas. What may become a tradition to me might not be one to someone else, but that’s what makes it special.

My children always looked forward to our traditional Christmas breakfast. On Christmas Eve I mix up a batch of yeast bread dough and let it rise overnight. In the morning I get up early and pinch the dough into rolls so they can rise again. While they rise I heat some oil to just below the smoking point. Then I fry them and serve them with maple syrup.

It’s important to me to use only real maple syrup. After all, we usually only eat these at Christmas and Easter. My mother called them singing biddies. I don’t really know where the name came from, but they’ve been a Christmas tradition for my kids as long as they can remember.

We always make homemade eggnog too. My children are all eggnog drinkers, but I rarely make it at any other time of the year. Perhaps I should. It’s good for you and it tastes great.

Mincemeat pie is another family tradition for dessert at Christmas time. Occasionally I make it for Thanksgiving, but usually Christmas is when I get to enjoy its rich spices of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and their interaction with raisins, currants and finely chopped apples.

All traditions need not be the same. I know many other people have different ones. That’s one thing that makes the season so personal. We can equate foods and other activities we like with the season when we celebrate the coming of Christ.

Some folks have a certain cookie recipe they only prepare during this season. It could easily be prepared any time, but the cookies become more special because we associate them with Christmas. It’s also more fun when everyone in the family gets in on the act. Children remember the fun of the activity and pass it on to the next generation.

Nearly everyone has recipes prepared only at Christmas. Who has ever heard of eating fruitcake in the summer? Fig pudding is a food tradition for some. I’ve made it, but it has never established itself as a family tradition. That might be a good thing as it’s quite calorie dense.

When I was much younger we used to go Christmas caroling. This was usually a cold activity, but it was fun. Caroling was important to my wife when she was growing up, too. She and her family and friends would hitch the hay wagon to the tractor and ride several miles through the rural West Virginia hills, singing and keeping each other warm.

I’ve just scratched the surface of Christmas traditions. The important part is that while we might enjoy these activities and foods, we must always remember why they are special. I know celebrating Christmas is a personal thing, but there’s a reason it’s called Christmas.

Nice platter of singing biddies on Christmas morning

Ted Manzer teaches agriculture at Northeastern High School (tmanzer@ecpps.k12.nc.us).