Today’s musings will be short and sweet because I will be busy baking sweets. I’m at my mom’s house with my daughter and grandkids and will spend the day baking Christmas cookies.

Of all the traditions that abound this time of year, I don’t know if there is one quite so varied as Christmas cookies. The variety that one family can’t imagine going without, the family across the street may never have heard of. When my husband and I were preparing to get married, one question came up that first December that we didn’t cover in premarital counseling: Will our Christmas cutout cookies be made using my family’s butter cookie recipe or his family’s sugar cookie recipe?

While traditions vary from family to family and even change within a family over the years, we find hope and peace in Christ who does not change. It is the same Christ the Saxon immigrants worshipped while sailing on the ships in 1838 and in those early, difficult years in Perry County that we worship today.

Here are some traditions, both old and new, that you can participate in here at the museum in the coming weeks. Our 20th Annual Christmas Tree Display continues through January 15th. Come see almost 50 uniquely decorated trees. Some of these have remained the same throughout the 20 years, and some have changed.

On Sunday at 2 pm, we will have a Christmas Hymn Sing. While this is new to the museum, the organ being played for it is part of the tradition of Carol and Sonny Boehme when they hosted a hymn sing at their home.

December 19th & 20th, the museum is part of the annual Christmas Country Church Tour. If you aren’t aware of this beautiful event, you can find more information here: https://visitperrycounty.com/christmas-country-church-tour/. The museum will be open from 10 am to 9 pm on those days.

Don’t forget about our gift shop and online bookstore for your holiday decorating and gift giving needs. We have many wonderful things for sale, many of the handmade.

I hope you enjoy your Christmas cookies, whatever variety they may be!