Traditions are an important part of our family’s Christmas holiday season. Not only are their special meals and holiday treats reserved for the holidays, but typically, our children, who are scattered around the United States, are home for the holidays and look forward to these traditions. Traditions are viewed as important for maintaining and strengthening family relationships, especially for children. In his article, Why We Love Rituals, published in Psychology Today in 2022, Dimitri Xygalatas, Ph.D., an Associate Professor in Anthropology and Psychological Sciences at the University of Connecticut, indicates that research shows “… children who participate in group rituals become more strongly affiliated with their peers …[and] … having more positive memories of family rituals seems to be associated with more positive interactions with one’s own children.”
In addition to my wife’s traditional Christmas cookies, which are always a favorite in our family, we have established an annual Christmas music festival tradition. For over 25 years, my wife and I have commenced the Christmas holiday season by attending one of the oldest and most famous Christmas Festivals in the United States—the St. Olaf College Christmas Festival, or as many of the “Oles” call it, “Christmas Fest.” St. Olaf Christmas Festival 2024.
The St. Olaf Christmas Festival began over 100 years ago at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, as a Christmas program for the College community. Today, Christmas Fest is expecting over 9,000 guests for its three concerts and special events. The Festival Concert is held traditionally on the St. Olaf College campus in early December. For the past two years, it has been held at Orchestral Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a site that will be used again beginning in 2026 on a two-year rotation between it and the college campus.
The Christmas Fest program is performed by 500 musicians, which are comprised of the five choirs assembled by St. Olaf College and the St. Olaf Orchestra. The St. Olaf Choir and St. Olaf Orchestra are regarded as a premier college choir and orchestra. Each Christmas Fest has a theme around which the music performed is developed. For 2024, the theme is “Our Hope for Years to Come.” For us, Christmas Fest is such an uplifting spiritual experience.
My wife has collected the Christmas Fest CD-ROMs containing each St. Olaf program since we first attended a Christmas Fest. Beginning in late October or early November, you can hear the sounds of Christmas Fest in our home and in my wife’s car. Needless to say, we begin preparation for the Christmas holiday season and the festival early.
St. Olaf’s Christmas Festival was livestreamed on December 8th, commencing at 3 p.m. CT. If you are interested in watching the live stream, there is a link to it at St. Olaf Christmas Festival 2024. The program is also rebroadcasted on public radio. Information for encore broadcasts of the Christmas Fest program is also available at St. Olaf Christmas Festival 2024. Since four of our children attended St. Olaf College, we play the radio encore broadcast when our children and grandchildren are home during the Christmas holiday season. I am not sure they enjoy it quite as much as my wife and I, but they listen and seem to appreciate it.
In 2018, in addition to attending Christmas Fest, we were invited by one of our daughters, who lived in St. Lake City at the time, to attend the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Christmas Festival Concert. We gladly accepted. St. Lake City near the Temple Square area was decorated beautifully, and the Festival Concert, featuring Kristen Chenoweth, the Tabernacle Choir, and the Orchestra at Temple Square was equally beautiful and entertaining. For me, the extra Christmas Festival experience further brightened my holiday spirit.
Psychological research has shown that listening to music can boost one’s overall health and sense of well-being and happiness, as well as strengthening social connections. Davis, D. Ph.D., The Amazing Power of Music in Our Lives, Psychology Today, December 16, 2023. Music also has the “…benefit of releasing “feel-good” hormones, such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins …” and if combined with movements, music has the potential benefit of adding quality years to your life. Given these benefits, it is no wonder I leave the Christmas Fest concert feeling uplifted, peaceful and serene
For as long as we are able, we will continue the St. Olaf Christmas Festival tradition. We have found this to be a great start to our Christmas holiday season. While Christmas Festivals like this are not for everyone, I hope you have discovered your own enriching experience for your holiday season, whichever holiday you may be celebrating during this time of year.
Happy holidays to everyone!
