Members of the Faith Travel Association’s Advisory Group offered their response to this question: What is your favorite faith-based tradition during the holiday season?
METE GUREL
TripOtour LLC
“My family’s favorite destination for Christmas is Québec City and Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral-Basilica.
The entire old town has beautiful light shows, small European-style boutiques and much more to enjoy.”
JANET YOUNG
Plimoth Patuxet Museums
“Every Christmas the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette (Attleboro, Massachusetts) offers a Christmas Celebration of Lights, with illuminations daily. Seeing the lights has long been a tradition for my family. I remember my parents taking me to see it, and now my husband and I take our two grandsons.
We get there early before the lights go on and walk through the storyboard exhibit of Christmas, listening to our grandsons read about Mary and Joseph’s journey and Christ’s birth. Then, we wait at the outdoor manger for the donkey to arrive. His name is Clopper, and he is definitely one of the highlights. Our grandsons then pick a location to listen to the carolers sing and watch the lights turn on. The joy on their faces is what Christmas is all about, and it fills my heart with happiness.
Last year, the snow and ice prevented us from going up the steps to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. I hope we can repeat what we did two years ago, mentioning who and what we are thankful for while we take each step on our knees to the top of the Shrine. We end with a walk through the indoor international manger exhibit and, of course, have some hot chocolate.”
EDDIE LUTZ
Ark Encounter
“My family enjoys visiting several of the light and Nativity displays in the Greater Cincinnati area, including the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo, Christmas Town at the Creation Museum, ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter, and the live Nativity at Krohn’s Conservatory.”
PETER CRADDICK
Globetrotters Travel & Tours
“I would say that the school or church Nativity play has always been one of my favorite Christmas/seasonal traditions. Obviously we all know the story and its meaning, but it is also a really fun thing to witness, especially when really small children take the lead parts. It is also something for all ages, as many grandparents are always in the audience. It’s a shame that COVID-19 will be interfering with plans for this festive season, so we may have to deal more in memories this year.”
Top photo: Christmas Time Ark Encounter
Photo by arkencounter.com
