They’re everywhere this time of year. We can’t turn on the radio or push our cart through the grocery store without hearing them. They adorn homes and porches and waiting rooms. They pile up beneath our Christmas tree and fill our mailboxes. What are they? They are the traditional sights and sounds and trappings of Christmas: the festive carols, the sparkling lights and glowing candles, the glittering trees and garland, the gifts wrapped in shiny paper, the annual Christmas card.

But where did these Christmas traditions come from? And what do they mean to us today? This Advent by Candlelight program will dig into the origins of our Christmas traditions and—through Scripture, story, and song—remind us how these traditions all point to Jesus, the light of the world. After all, he’s the whole reason we celebrate. He’s the good news we share with others. Because Christmas begins with CHRIST!